Cats and Curses
by ImperialOtaku
Summary: Adrien is in a rather hairy situation, or in this case a furry one. Cursed to be a cat, he is now in the care of someone who doesn't know magic exists, and it must stay that way. What will happen in the time that he is in Marinette's care? Magic! Aged-up! AU
1. Chapter 1

**(A/N) Hello All! And welcome to this new series! I am super excited to release this one to you all, it's been something I've been planning for quite a long time. It actually was its own individual story idea long before I realized how perfect it would be for a Miraculous AU fanfic. This story will definitely be longer than True Miraculous Night was with what I want to do with it. With that said if there is anything you want to see in the story please feel free to let me know and I'll see what I can do. Now before we begin I should explain a few more things. Like I mentioned before this is an AU which means they're not superheroes, the kwamis will have a different purpose in this that you'll just have to wait and see. The magic in this story is somewhat hidden to the general public as well. Also, they are all Aged Up as well, I'm thinking about 25 or so.**

 **DISCLAIMER TIME: I do not own Miraculous or anything like that I am just huge fan trash.**

 **With these things said let's dive right in with chapter 1!**

 ***boop***

No one really paid any mind to the fuming blonde walking down the street late at night. His green eyes venomous with anger as he trudged around Paris with no real destination in mind.

Adrien Agreste was at his wits end. For so long he has been under his father's tight restrictions and he feels like any day now he is going to reach his breaking point. For once he was lucky to be able to walk around like he was now without his bodyguard in tow. Why did his father still treat him like a child? Sometimes Adrien wished that he could be free of all the commitments and work his father had put on his shoulders.

 _Whether he liked it or not that wish would come true this evening…_

As he walked by a random alley he could not help but feel drawn to it. Something strange and enticing was reaching out to him as he stared down it's darkened path. In the back of his mind, warning signs were going off as his body moved him down the alleyway. As he reached the end he found himself in an open area that housed the backs of various businesses with only the way he came in as the exit. There was nothing out of the ordinary there so what drew him there?

"Well hello there handsome."

He whipped around to the voice of a woman. He was met with olive green eyes that looked at him mischievously. She had long brown hair that had two small portions tied up on either side of her face. She was dressed rather strangely and had a fox tail necklace standing out among rather dark clothing. It seemed to draw him in in a weird way. Shaking himself out of his trance he looked back up to her face.

"Think you could help a girl out? I promise to make it worth your while."

Her voice was dripping with sweetness. Adrien felt compelled to say yes but there were so many danger warnings in his head that he snaps himself out of it again.

"Sorry, now if you'll excuse me I really need to go."

He made his way back to the alley only to have his body freeze. He couldn't move at all. It was like something was holding him there.

"So, you're resistant to my charms… Well then I guess I'll just have to have fun with you a different way."

 _Charms? What is she talking about? Why can't I move? What is even happening?_

His body is spun around and he's looking at her again. He shudders as the mischievous look from before is now one of pure evil.

"Let's see… What to do with you… So many options to choose after all…"

He can only watch her as she walks around him. Talking about who knows what as he feels chills going down his spine. As she walks in front of him again she suddenly snaps her fingers and looks at him with glee.

"I know! I haven't done this one yet. And I can even make it as long and as painful as I want! But before I do," She flicks her hand and he is able to see some type of barrier forming in a circle around them, "this way no one will see you or hear your scream."

She laughs, causing him to shudder again. He doesn't know exactly what is happening but there is a sudden shift in the air. He watches as she moves towards him, pulling out a small, strange dagger, and proceeds to prick his right ring finger. She collects a drop on the knife and steps away from him. The force holding him there dissipates as she starts to chant in a strange language. This is his chance to get the heck out of there before she does anything to him. That was at least… until the pain started.

It starts with his eyes, they are stinging like nothing he has ever experience and they are forced shut. When he opens them again he finds he can strangely see better in the darkness that surrounds them. He grasps his head in pain only to feel strange appendages protruding out of the top of his head. The woman has stopped chanting and is watching him with that same evil glint from earlier. He cries out as floods of pain swarm at once to different parts of his body as he feels himself pitch forward now unable to stand. His clothes start to hang more and for some reason are getting bigger on his body. He looks down at his hands that are planted on the ground to see them covered in black and clawed, shifting to look no longer like human hands. He looks back up to her trying to speak only to have no words come out of his mouth. He can only feel the pain of his bones shifting, his muscles pulling, and an uncontrollable warm itch that spreads across his entire body. His eyes squeeze shut again due to the pain.

"I'd love to keep this going on but I sense someone coming… It was fun playing with you to say the least… Enjoy your new body…" With that she utters another strange chant and there is a sudden shift in his body.

The pain has stopped. He hears her laughter disappear into thin air. Slowly but surely, he opens his eyes to find her gone, as if she was never there in the first place. The world seeming much bigger than before. He somehow manages to get out of the shirt that is much larger than his body. He's shaking as he looks around him, trying to figure out what just happened and why his body feels so strange.

"It appears I was too late."

A strange new voice jolts him out of his thoughts. An old man is standing right in from of him looking at him with guilt filled eyes.

"I sensed someone using the curse and came as fast as possible, I'm sorry I couldn't get here sooner."

Adrien tries to speak to the stranger, only to have a mewl come out that confuses him only more.

"I think you should see what has happened before I explain anything else."

The old man pulls a mirror out of thin air and leans down to show Adrien his reflection. It's easy to say he was not expecting what he saw.

A cat. A black cat with green eyes was staring back at him in the mirror. He yowls in surprise and jumps back.

"I'm afraid whoever did this cast the Anim curse on you. I can help you reverse it but it will take some time. You will have to stay with someone I know until I find the one who did this."

This is all so strange to Adrien, the man is talking about curses and reversing them, does this mean that magic really does exist? Then again, he should have realized this when he saw his cat-self looking back at him. This old man in front of him seems different from the girl who did this, something tells him he can trust this man. With that decided he looks back up to him and nods knowing he cannot speak. The stranger chuckles and walks closer towards him, picking up what Adrien had been wearing just moments before.

"Very good, let us go then."

 ***boop***

 **And there you have it! Thoughts? Opinions? Please feel free to leave them in a review! I might even get the next chapter out this week since I really loved writing this one.**

 **Other story announcement before I go. Marchers will most likely have a chapter out this week as usual. I will try to get Laser-Focus finished up this week as well but no promises on that one.**

 **As always dear readers… Lots of Love to you All!**

 **~Imperial**


	2. Chapter 2

**(A/N) So I started to write this pretty much the same day I wrote chapter one. (And then I scrapped a lot of it because it wasn't how I wanted it xD.) A big thank you to those who have already reviewed! This chapter should help explain things a little better like I've planned. Like I said last time, I've been shaping this story for quite a long time, probably at this point over a year. With that said let's get started!**

 ***boop***

One moment they were in the alley and the next they were in a strange room. Adrien somewhat stumbled due to the dizzying teleportation.

"My apologies, I should have warned you to brace yourself. Now if you'll follow me I will explain things to you."

The strange old man left the room and Adrien followed slowly, his new cat body still felt weird to move around in. He soon found himself in what appeared to be a kitchen. The man turned around to look at him.

"Before I begin I should do two things. First, my name is Fu. Secondly," He kneels and presses a hand to Adrien's head, muttering a strange word he felt a strange tingling sensation, "Now I will be able to understand you. Tell me, how are you feeling right now?"

Adrien wasn't exactly sure how Fu would be able to understand him, but he might as well try it.

" _I feel… strange I guess…"_

"That is expected, you are in a body that you are not used to. Now shall I begin to explain some things for you?"

" _Yes please."_

Fu nods and sits down, deciding where to start.

"I guess I should first tell you that there is magic in everything and everyone in the world. Most of the time it is hidden and mundane, but there are a quite a few here and there like myself and the one who cursed you who are able to do much more…"

Adrien sat quietly and listen with pure interest. It still seemed crazy that magic and stuff like that really existed, but after what has happened he reluctantly must accept the reality.

"… The curse cast on you is a rather common one, I have helped quite a few others reverse it so do not be worried, I will get you back to normal."

He felt comfort at Fu's words, if he was telling the truth he will only have to deal with this for a while.

"I feel like I have explained enough for tonight. You should get some rest, I will be taking you to a safe place tomorrow."

He had a pillow in his hand that definitely wasn't there a second ago. He places it on the ground and Adrien settles onto it. He hadn't realized how exhausted he had been until now. His eyes are heavy and soon sleep envelopes him.

His dreams are filled with nightmares that night. The woman's sickening laugh echoes through his mind, waking him up a few times shaking in fear. One of his nightmares was filled with the faces of those he knows, after he woke from that dream he laid there for a few moments really wondering how they would react to find out he was missing. As the sky lightened outside he gave up on sleep to wander around the dark kitchen. He definitely didn't mind the night vision his new body gave him, it was actually pretty great if not for the rest of the issue. A while later Fu came into the room.

"Oh good, you're awake already. Let's get you something to eat and then we will be on our way, your host is expecting us in the next hour."

A few minutes later while Adrien was eating, Fu explained the details of where he was going.

"The person I am taking you to has taken care of all the other Anim cursed people I have helped. She will take care of you as long as I am gone, depending on where the one who cursed you is it might take a while."

" _Is the person I'm staying with a magic user like you?"_

"No she is not, and she is not to know that magic exists. She believes she is just fostering another animal for a time and we will keep it that way."

" _But why are you leaving me with someone who doesn't know about magic? Wouldn't it be safer for me to stay with someone like you?"_

"There are many reasons for that, for one if I were to leave you with another wizard or witch they might not be trustworthy with you. Another reason is something I mentioned last night, do you remember when I said magic exists in everything?"

As Adrien nods, Fu continues, "The one I'm leaving you with has a specific mundane magic, an aura of luck is spread around her that only I and a few others know about. Having you in her care will keep you safer."

" _I see… Wait does this mean I have magic too?"_

"It does, I cannot tell what it is at the moment. Once we get you back to normal I should be able to figure it out quickly. Now, there are some rules you must abide by while in her care. The first one I have already mentioned, you must not expose magic or anything of the sort. This means you must act like an actual cat in her care. Another rule focuses on the opposite, you may be a cat now but you are still human on the inside. This means I will not tolerate you biting her or anyone else. Playful biting is fine, but if you break the skin I will still reverse the curse, but I will make it so you wish I hadn't."

Adrien understood why these rules were in place. He had reacted rather calmly to the whole reveal of magic, but someone else might not react the same and there might be huge consequences. The other one was easy to understand as well. He definitely had no intention of doing anything like that since as Fu had said, he was still a human being.

" _I promise I will be on my best behavior in her care."_

Fu smiles at him, he stands up and grabs a rather large black container sitting on the table. "I guess we can be on our way then. We'll use the same type of transportation as last night so prepare yourself. I apologize in advance but you'll have to get into this carrier for now."

Adrien makes his way into the carrier. The mesh on the sides made it so he could see what was going on around him, but not very well. There was a sudden shift and the next thing he knew they were near the entrance of an apartment complex. Fu carefully maneuvered the carrier so he could open the door and made his way to an elevator and hit the 3rd floor button.

Soon they were making their way down a hallway. As Fu reached a door and knocks he looked down to Adrien as spoke in a whisper.

"I forgot to mention, I've known her family for a long time, so do not be confused by what she calls me."

Before Adrien could reply the door opened and he could hear a female's voice.

"Hi Uncle Fu!"

"Hello Marinette, I have your next patient for you."

Adrien was angled in a way that he couldn't see the girl apparently named Marinette. He had to admit that was a pretty name, and her voice sounded sweet.

"Come on in. I've gotten everything set up for him."

They made their way into the apartment, Fu placed the carrier that held Adrien on a couch. Marinette made her way to sit on the side with the zipper.

"I don't think you've ever brought me a cat to care for before." She says this as she opens the carrier. Adrien shyly makes his way out to finally get a look at her.

He sees her eyes first. Very blue and full of warmth and kindness. Dark hair frames her face that is tied back into a messy bun. She looks to be about his age and it's a good thing he is covered in fur as he feels his face heat up.

"He's a rather handsome fellow." She smiles and reaches a hand out for him to timidly sniff before she places on his head and looks up to Fu. "What'd you say his case was again?"

"Just another neglect case, I've already helped him along quite a bit and I would care for him the rest of the way, but I have another business trip I need to go on."

"I see," She's scratching his head now, earning a purr that definitely is a surprise for Adrien. "What's this little guy's name Fu?"

"His name is…" Fu pauses for a moment, "his name is Chat Noir my dear."

"Chat Noir huh? Always original with the names I see." She giggles at him. "Should say I'm not surprised though, I should have realized you're not good with naming when I took care of that fox forever ago."

They continued to talk for a few minutes before Fu handed her a piece of paper with instructions. She stood up to place it somewhere else and he took the opportunity to speak to Adrien quietly before leaving.

"I will keep in touch of my progress. Remember the rules I have given to you Adrien, I will know if you ignore them." He then turns to Marinette and addresses her. "Well Marinette, I must be off, I need to pack before I leave so I will let you and Chat get used to each other."

She smiles and comes over to him and gives a quick hug. "Have a safe trip Uncle Fu, we'll be here when you get back."

With that Fu leaves the apartment, but not before giving Adrien a hidden wink. He turns his attention back to Marinette who looks down at him and smiles.

"Well kitty, looks like it's just the two of us now."

 ***boop***

 **And there we go, hope you guys are still enjoying it. I've decided from now on that this series will be updated on Wednesdays so keep your eyes out. If I can't get one out I'll let y'all know why as soon as I can.**

 **Now with this story I can include some silly little chapters between Marinette and Cat Adrien, you guys are free to suggest fun things you want to see.**

 **As always readers, Lots of love to you all!**

 **~Imperial**


	3. Chapter 3

**(A/N) It really is nice to see people enjoying this series so far. I hope you're all ready to see a familiar face this chapter!**

 ***boop***

If anything, Adrien felt awkward for many reasons. For one, well he was a cat, the other was the fact that he was in a girl's apartment as a cat. He could only imagine what reaction Marinette would have if she knew that he wasn't normally like this. A sinister voice in the back of his head was whispering rather inappropriate things he could get away with in this body. He pushed those thoughts away rather quickly, he'd like to think of himself as a gentleman and would like to not change that.

He just watches her as she makes her way around the apartment. He would hate to get in her way of the tasks she is getting done so he makes himself comfortable on the couch. Soon she sits down at the computer desk that is next to the small kitchen and he feels himself become curious. Before he can do anything, there is a rather loud knock at the door. Marinette gets up rather quickly only to immediately trip on air and hit the ground with a rather large _thud_. This in turn caused Adrien to hop up and rush over to her, it's not like he can do anything in this state but he can't help but feel concerned. He hears her groan and get up as if nothing happened to answer the door.

On the other side of the door was a rather unimpressed girl around their age. She had dark, reddish-brown wavy hair. A small beauty mark rested above her hazel eyes that were framed with black glasses. She smiles at Marinette knowingly and speaks.

"That sounded like a rather unpleasant fall girl, you good?"

"Yeah, you know me, clumsy, unlucky me. Not the worst one by a large margin."

Adrien was confused when she said this, didn't Fu say that she had luck surrounding her? Why did it sound like the exact opposite happens to her all the time?

"Fostering another one of Fu's strays I see?" The woman reaches a hand down for Adrien to sniff as she says this.

"Yep, Alya this is Chat Noir."

"I'm guessing Fu named him then? Oh well, he's definitely a handsome cat. Have you ever fostered a cat?"

"No this would be the first. You would think I would have by now with some of the interesting ones he's brought me, but I guess he's never really had to leave with a cat in his care."

They made their way over to the couch. Adrien followed them and very ungracefully jumped onto the couch, earning laughter from the two girls.

"I think he's as uncoordinated as you."

"Ha ha, very funny." Marinette playfully punches Alya's shoulder.

The two chat for a while, going from topic to topic as Alya pets him. Out of nowhere a phone starts to ring and Marinette pulls it out of her pocket.

"Sorry, I have to take this." She rolls her eyes as she sees who's calling and answers it. "Hello? Yes… what? Alright, don't touch anything I'll be there soon." She hangs up and looks at Alya. "Looks like I have to run in real quick, they have a question about one of my designs and apparently I have to be there in person."

Alya nods and smiles knowingly. "Go take care of that then, movie night on Friday with the group is still happening right?"

"Of course! It's my turn to host it anyways and there's no way I'm cancelling it. I'll be back in a while." As she is speaking she grabs her keys and purse and makes her way out the door.

Adrien was expecting Alya to leave with Marinette, but for some reason she was still petting him. He looks up at her and sees mischievousness in her eyes.

"So Chat Noir, what's your human name?"

He was completely shocked when she said this, all he could do was stare at her wide-eyed until she burst into laughter. She calmed herself before speaking again.

"Sorry, I should have explained things before scaring you. Yes I know you're cursed, I was helped by Fu as well so I know when he brings "animals," they're just like I was. I can also understand you so feel free to talk back to me."

Adrien really didn't know how to take this. This girl was saying she was like him at some point.

" _So, you can understand me?"_

Alya smiles down at him knowingly. "Yes I can, now I believe I asked you a question, what's your real name?"

" _My name is Adrien. You said you were cursed too, were you a cat as well?"_

She shakes her head, "No, if you remember earlier, we were talking about how you are the first cat she has cared for. I can show you if what I was if you'd like."

" _How exactly would you do that?"_ The confusion on his face is easily shown even in this form.

"Ah, well you see, when the curse is reversed, there's a little perk that comes with it. I can change back anytime I want. Also," She smirks and continues, "I can control what changes."

Animal ears suddenly sprout from the top of her head. A tail appears from nowhere next to Adrien and he can't help but jump in surprise. Quickly calming himself he takes a moment to register that is a fox tail. Both the ears and tail match her hair color and she looks at him triumphantly.

"Volpina the fox at your service. You should have seen your face when you jumped!" The ears and tail disappear leaving Adrien to just stare at where they used to be. Alya brings him out of his somewhat trance by speaking again. "Well I need to get going, Marinette's not the only one with a job and I need to get to mine. I'll probably see you again on Friday for the movie night. Before I forget, I should also mention you'll meet a lot of other people who have been cursed in different ways there, so don't be surprised that they speak to you when Marinette leaves the room."

He says goodbye to Alya. It's nice but also weird that he just met someone who was in his situation at an earlier time. It also reassured him that he will be turned back. He really doesn't know what to do now with it being only him in the apartment.

He wanders around for a bit, there are two other doors on separate sides of the main room. Both are closed which means he will have to explore them later. A moderate size kitchen sits in one of the back corners. Next to the kitchen is a glass sliding door that leads out to a small balcony. Across from the couch was a decent size TV with a rather impressive movie collection on the shelves of the TV stand. A coffee table rest in the space between the couch and TV.

Returning to the couch, he was able to jump up a little more gracefully than his first attempt. He really can't think of anything to do right now. All he could do was sit… on this very comfortable couch.

It isn't long before he feels drowsy. The exhaustion of not sleeping well the night before has finally caught up with him. He curls up into a ball and is soon deep asleep.

…

 _He's standing in a dark place, unable to pick out anything that seems at all familiar. Light fog comes up to his waist._

 _Wait…_

 _Waist?_

 _Adrien looks down to see a human chest and legs. Lifting a hand, he studies it closely, trying to see anything that is cat-like. He appears normal, that is until he feels something brush his leg._

 _He still has a tail, that much is obvious now. He puts his head in his hands to find he also has cat ears sticking out of his hair. Well, at least he's mostly human._

" _ **You're taking this surprisingly well…"**_

 _Adrien looks around frantically to find the voice to see Fu standing close to him with a smile on his face._

" _ **I told you I would keep in touch of my progress. And this is how I will do so."**_

" _I see… why am I in human form? Well… mostly…"_

 _Fu's smiles widens._ _ **"That's because we are in the dream realm, you are able to be how you wish to be, with some exceptions of course. I know it hasn't been long but how are things going? Are you feeling comfortable in her care so far?"**_

 _Adrien nods as he replies. "Yes, she had to step out for work for a bit so it's just me for now. I did meet her friend Alya."_

" _ **The fox, it's good you have already met someone. I can assure you that she is absolutely trustworthy for your situation. If you need anything at any time you can go to her."**_

 _This only reassured the feeling Adrien had felt before. It really did help to know someone he could trust besides Fu with this curse. Fu pulls him out of his thoughts and continues speaking._

" _ **I should explain a few more things before this dream is over. I am able to contact you this way, but you are also able to contact me if you ever need anything. Just think of me and the dream realm will do the rest. Also, when you wake up you won't remember anything that occurs here for a few minutes. It is perfectly normal so do not worry."**_ _He pauses and cocks his head to the side._ _ **"I sense that your dream will be ending soon. I will contact you in the next few days to let you know the approximate time this will take. Good luck Chat Noir…"**_

 _Adrien feels the dream shift, Fu slowly disappears until…_

…

A door opening wakes Adrien from sleep. He turns his head to see an exhausted Marinette coming through the door. Looking outside the he sees the sun had set just a little while ago. Had he really been asleep that long? And why could he not remember what he dreamed about?

"Hey Chat, sorry I had to disappear on you earlier." She mutters something to herself about annoying interns or something like that as she makes her way to the kitchen.

Adrien stays where he is at on the couch, not wanting to get in her way as she moves around the kitchen space. His wonderment about what he had dreamed about is soon answered as the memory floods him all at once. It felt like a missing puzzle piece had been put into place as he thinks about the conversation he and Fu had had.

Coming back to the present, he watches Marinette as she makes dinner. He really can't help but feel grateful to her for taking him in even though she doesn't understand the full situation. That being said, he doesn't want to be a burden or annoyance to her. He had heard stories from others about their annoying pets and didn't want to seem like one for Marinette. It might be best for him to avoid causing any troubles, even if that means avoiding her.

 ***boop***

 **And another chapter is complete! I hope you all like how I introduced Alya with this chapter as well as some other things. Next chapter will be the movie night that was mentioned a few times. I hope you all are ready to meet some more familiar faces!**

 **Marchers chapter should be here Friday with a rather important announcement with that series. I will be finishing Laser-Focus next week since this week is rather stressful with tests.**

 **Thoughts or questions for me? Please feel free to ask and I will do my best to answer (avoiding spoilers of course.) Hope you all have a safe week!**

 **As always, Lots of love to you all!**

 **~Imperial**


	4. Chapter 4

**(A/N) Before we begin, anyone see what Hawkdaddy(aka Thomas Astruc) posted on Twitter a few days ago? Looks like we finally got a bee kwami name… It's Pollen! Honestly, I have mixed feelings about this… On one hand it's adorable, but on the other, I've seen soooo many cuter ones on this site. What do you guys think? With that said, let's get into the movie night!**

 ***boop***

It had been a few days and Adrien was slowly getting used to his body. Some things were easy while others took a little longer. He missed being able to do simple things such as walking around normally, heck, even just having hands with thumbs sounded amazing. It wasn't all bad though, his heightened senses were definitely a plus. It was also kind of nice being able to sit around all day in Marinette's apartment without any obligations forced on him.

Speaking of Marinette. He was still going with his avoiding plan. He didn't really move from the main area, only exploring here and there whenever she was busy or at work. She really didn't seem to mind, then again, he didn't know that for sure because well, he was avoiding causing her problems.

Currently she was filling various bowls with chips and other snacks for the movie night that was happening soon. He didn't know exactly what this entailed, but at least he knew one of the people that was coming.

There was a knock at the door and Marinette opened it for Alya and a man to step in. Alya speaks to her friend jokingly.

"Hey girl, hope we're not too late for the fun, this idiot just couldn't decide on what to wear."

"As early as always Alya. Plus, I don't think Nino would ever give you that problem." Marinette smirks as she replies

The man Nino made his way over to the couch as the two girls continued to talk. He had brown skin and golden brown eyes framed with glasses. He could barely make out brown hair under the red cap and a pair of headphones rested around his neck. He sat down and winked at Adrien before speaking in a hushed tone.

"So you're Mari's latest charge. Don't worry I'm like Alya and you. The name's Nino."

Adrien moves closer before replying.

" _Nice to meet you Nino, I'm Adrien."_

Another person like him. That was definitely nice to hear. That only left him to wonder exactly how many he would meet tonight. Before he could continue to talk with Nino he couldn't help but listen to Alya and Marinette's conversation after he heard his other name.

"So, how's Chat Noir treating you girl?"

Adrien couldn't help but notice Marinette's expression change. Her shoulders drooped and a small frown framed her face before speaking quietly.

"I… I don't think he likes me."

He suddenly felt two pairs of eyes on him. The pair next to him were concerned while the pair across the room was more of a heated glare, causing Adrien to shrink down. Marinette didn't seem to notice this as she continues.

"He's rather quiet and doesn't do much. He kind of ignores me when we're in the same room together. I don't know what it is and honestly I don't know what to do."

These words made Adrien's heart sink, he hadn't thought what her feelings might be when he made the initial decision. As the girls continue to talk, Nino leans closer before speaking again.

"Why are you avoiding her?"

Adrien can't bring himself to look up at Nino as he explains, _"I know some people who have said that their pets are annoying. I didn't want to be like that for Marinette, but now I feel that might not be the best choice."_

"Who were the people that told you that?"

" _Some colleagues I work with from time to time."_ As he said this he could recollect the things fellow models had said to him on set. This is what led him to believing he'd only be a nuisance to Marinette.

A sincere smile appears on Nino's face. "I can assure you bro, it takes a lot to annoy Mari. I was in her care for a while and messed with her from time to time. Heck, one of her charges was a perverted snake, thank goodness he wasn't allowed to live here after he was changed back."

Adrien jolts at these words. _"A perverted snake? What did he do to her?"_

"I'd rather not go into details. I'll just say it's a good thing she doesn't know about the whole curse thing." Nino shakes his head at the memory before looking back to him. "You really should get to know her. You might find yourself surprised by the result. I know I did, it's because of her I met my girlfriend."

With that said Nino stood up to go back over to the girls, leaving Adrien to think. He really should listen to what Nino had said, but there was still that doubt in the back of his head. He was already messing up in making Marinette think he doesn't like her, and that was the last thing he wanted to happen.

A while later, more people trickled into the apartment. A total of eight others besides Marinette, Alya and Nino soon made themselves comfortable. I wasn't long after that Marinette received a phone call.

"Hey guys, looks like the pizza's here. Kim, do you want to help me bring them in?"

The man who was apparently Kim nodded and stood up. They left the room and all eyes turned towards Adrien, causing him to shrink down again.

Alya stood up and addressed the group. "Alright everyone, we know how this works. Introductions are in order, but let's make this quick before Mari gets back. Just your names and curses will do for now. So let's just start with those of us who had the Anim curse like Adrien does."

Nino and two girls from the group stood up. Nino went first and actually surprised Adrien by revealing his animal form was a dog, a German Shepherd to be exact. A bubbly girl with pixie cut blonde hair went next. Her name as Rose and she had spent almost a month in Marinette's care as a Canary. The other girl, Juleka, had had her time with Marinette overlap with Rose's when she had been stuck as a ferret. Alya took that moment to tell Adrien that only these few had decided to become close friends with Marinette after they had been turned back.

They continued to go around the room. Ivan and Mylene had actually been cursed to be monsters, like legitimate monsters. After their curses had been reversed they met each other, and soon moved into the apartment complex together and met the others. Two guys named Nathanael and Max had been trapped in various objects. Max being trapped in a video game for a time, while Nathanael was trapped in one of his own paintings. The pink-haired girl was the last to go.

"I'm Alix, and I was cursed to be a time-jumper." Not looking to see Adrien's response, she continues, "Basically, I was bouncing around different time periods. It sounds cool, but it lost its charm very quickly. All I can say is that I'm glad it was stopped. I wouldn't have met Kim and the others if it hadn't."

With Alix ending her explanation, Adrien looked at Alya again.

" _What's Kim's curse?"_

Alya looks down a him and replies. "Kim actually hasn't been cursed, he knows about magic from his family and from others but hasn't been affected personally. There is one more person that comes from time to time, but she couldn't make it tonight. I can tell you though that Sabrina was cursed to be invisible for a while."

For some reason the name Sabrina sounded familiar. Before he could ask anything else, the door opens to reveal Marinette followed by Kim holding quite a good number of pizza boxes.

"Sorry it took so long guys. Almost had an accident coming back. But now we can get started and choose a movie."

Excited and argumentative conversation soon filled the room.

"I vote we do a musical!" Rose quickly spoke up.

Next to Rose, Juleka muttered to her, "You always suggest that Rose, let's see what the others say first."

"Y-you can never go wrong with Disney movies." Mylene said this in a rather timid voice, smiling up to Ivan as she did.

Nino was next to speak up. "I say we do something action-packed for once, I always like a good superhero movie."

They continued like this for a while. Each getting a chance to voice their opinions. Marinette soon spoke up above the chaos.

"Alright, looks like we're getting nowhere." She chuckles before speaking again, "Alright Max, what are the results this time?"

"According to my calculations of everyone's opinion for the group. It appears the vast majority would like something romantic as well as adventurous. I would recommend Princess Bride for tonight."

The group was in unanimous agreement to this. As Marinette made her way to find the specified movie, the rest of them filled their plates with pizza and other various snacks. This left Adrien to think to himself.

' _Princess Bride? I don't even think I've heard of it. What is it even about? Well, I guess I'll find out soon enough. I guess I should also listen to Nino's advice while I'm at it…'_

Everyone settled onto the couch and the area around it as the movie started. Adrien knew it was the time to act and made his way over. He caused Marinette to jolt a little as he jumped up onto the couch, and settled down in her lap.

Marinette really wasn't expecting this to happen with how Chat had been acting as of late. Soon enough though, she was mindlessly stroking him as everyone in the room watched the movie.

 ***boop***

 **And there we go. Lot's to talk about so let's get started!**

 **I hope you liked the diversity in curses. I didn't want everyone to have the same one so it gave me the opportunity to get creative.**

 **As for animal choices, I will explain a few things. I've seen fics with Nino as a dog, mainly a German Shepherd, and it always has fit so well so I decided to go with it. Juleka was sort of along the same lines with seeing it in other fics, but after some research it definitely fit so I couldn't pass on it. For Rose I always thought she would be a happy little songbird if she was ever an animal. Her sweet and bubbly personality worked with the choice.**

 **Little fun fact about the other one animal curse mentioned. In my original idea for this story (before I converted it to the Miraculous universe) there was indeed a guy who had cursed to be a snake and was rather flirtatious and perverted both in cursed form and normal. I decided I should at least pay homage to that idea since I couldn't think of anyone that could fit that role well, unless of course I were to do an OC but I decided it would be better to just mention it for now.**

 **Anyone else like Princess Bride? It's a personal favorite of mine and for some reason it fit into the story for this bit.**

 **We're finally going to see some fun cat-Adrien moments from now on. Since he'll be warming up to Marinette, it'll be the purrfect opportunity to use some of the things you guys suggested.**

 **The next chapter will be from Marinette POV, it's a fun little chapter I thought up a while ago and it'll have some fun stuff involved!**

 **Opinions on the curses? Any other ideas for cat-Adrien moments? Feel free to let me know! I love seeing what you guys have to say, both kind and instructive.**

 **As always, Lots of love to you all!**

 **~Imperial**


	5. Chapter 5

**(A/N) Thank you all for such the kind comments on last chapter. Here's a short, random Marinette POV for you guys!**

 ***boop***

It had been almost a week since Fu had dropped off Chat Noir to Marinette. She could easily say that it started off rough since Chat had somewhat ignored her for the first few days, but for some strange reason, that changed on movie night. Not that she was complaining of course, it was just a really big surprise when the cat started to be a little more affectionate with her.

Now he was always near her. Whenever she was at her computer Chat could be found either on her lap or on the actual desk. He would come and relax with her in the bedroom or on the couch after a busy day at work. He only followed her into the bathroom whenever she was doing her hair or makeup which in a way was weird but also nice.

The kitchen was an area that Chat didn't follow her around in. This was only after he almost gave her a heart attack late one night. Unlike some of the other animals she has fostered, he was fairly quiet when moving around. Not to mention that him being pure black made it so he blended in with everything at night. This fact has caused her to jump a few times when she wasn't expecting him.

The only room he didn't get the chance to follow her into was the sewing room. She had always made a habit of closing the door behind when both entering and exiting ever since she moved into this place. Come to think of it, none of the other fosters she took care of ever really went in there either.

The two were now sitting on the couch in the main area. Marinette idly changed the channel on the TV, trying to see if there was anything on. Chat Noir on the other hand was nestled up to her, completely asleep. This was really the first day in a while where she didn't have to go to work. There weren't any deadlines until next week either so it was unquestionable that she would have a lazy day at home. Not having anything planned was nice for a change. All she had to do today was just relax.

That changed very quickly as Alya let herself into the apartment, startling Chat Noir awake in the process. As Marinette gave her a rather irritated look, Alya smirked knowingly at her friend and spoke.

"Come on girl, I know you've got the day off. We haven't truly hung out one-on-one in a while."

Sighing, she looks from the now awake Chat to her friend. "Fine, but I'm not leaving the apartment."

"Way ahead of you girl." Alya brings her hand from behind back to reveal a bag of take-out, causing Marinette to laugh.

The two got comfortable on the couch. There's no real agenda when they have days like this. Most of the time they just talk for hours on end or other little things. For Marinette, it was nice to have a friend who knows her so well. It's been a little over a year since Alya came into her life, but for some reason it felt like she knew her for longer than that.

After the food had been eaten and cleaned up, the two settle at Marinette's computer to watch random videos. She had to pull her chair from the sewing room so they could both sit down. The apartment was soon filled with laughter as they went from video to video. When they had watched about ten videos, Marinette got up to get the two something to drink. When she got back though, all she could do was groan as she saw what website Alya had just pulled up.

"Seriously Alya, what is with you and this website?"

The mischievous grin Marinette knows all too well appears on her face. "You know you love it. Besides, there's one that goes along perfectly with the little guy you're taking care of."

On the screen was the rather well know website Quizious. Both editors and viewers alike could add little "what is your…." and "what type of…." personality quizzes for anyone to enjoy. Marinette studied the screen to see Alya had pulled up the most popular "What Kind of Cat Breed Are You?" quiz and she rolled her eyes.

"Really?"

"Please indulge me for once girl. It's always funny to see how random the questions are. Plus, it might even connect you more to Chat." She gives Marinette a sarcastic wink.

They both look over to Chat Noir to see him licking his paw. Feeling eyes on him he looks over at the two and they lose it in laughter.

"He's doing the 'blep' thing!" Alya manages to wheeze out before doubling over.

Marinette is finding it hard to breathe with how unexpected it is. Clutching her stomach, she looks over to him again only to see what appears to be an annoyed look on the cat's face. He jumps down off the couch and makes his way into the bedroom.

The quiz was forgotten as they continued to laugh. After a while Alya and Marinette manage to calm down, only a few giggles here and there. That was then when they noticed the time.

"Sorry Mari, looks like I've got work in an hour. Apparently, a big story is being covered tonight and I have to be there."

Marinette smiles reassuringly at her friend. "Go get your scoop Alya, I'm sure you'll get to work on this one."

"Thanks girl, see you later."

With that Alya left the room leaving Marinette still sitting at the computer. She glances at the quiz still on the screen, wondering if she really should and what the results could be. Shaking her head, she exits the browser and heads to her bedroom.

"Chat? Where are you Kitty?"

A meow behind her caused Marinette to jump. She turns around to see the black cat looking up at her expectantly.

"I swear, what am I going to do with you? I think I'm going to have a heart attack before Fu gets back with how quiet you are."

An idea came to her at that moment and she made a dash to her sewing room. Rummaging around in various drawers for what she needs, Marinette soon came back out to a confused Chat. She beckons him over and kneels down.

"This should do the trick." She carefully adjusts the creation around his neck and looks at her handiwork.

A vibrant, green ribbon is now snuggly tied around Chat's neck. As he moves his head around, the gold bell looped into the ribbon chimes out. She makes a note in her head for later to make it more of an actual collar, but for now Marinette can't help but smile at this result.

"Good, now I'll be able to tell where you are." She scratched behind his ear, earning a purr as he nuzzles into her hand. She makes her way to the kitchen to get dinner started and smiles as she hears the bell ring out as he follows her.

 ***boop***

 **Sooooo, fun story that is only a small portion of the reason for this chapter. I was browsing one of my social media accounts and actually came across a "Which Cat Breed Are You?" when I was organizing this chapter (apparently I'm a Russian Blue according to the quiz) but it also got me thinking. What would Marinette's cat breed be? I've seen fics on here making her a white cat, mainly a Turkish Angora, but I have seen one or two with her as a Calico which seemed interesting and also sort of works better in a way. Personally though, I'm not exactly sure.**

 **So I decided while typing the chapter, let's have some fun with this. What do you guys think? Let me know, heck we could even do a poll if you guys want. Tell me what breed and why and we'll see what the results are!**

 **Just so y'all know, I've got finals this next week so there may or may not be a chapter. (It really depends though) If anything, it would come out Thursday instead of Wednesday because I'm done with finals on Wednesday but I guess we'll see, typing up the next chapter might be a good break from studying.**

 **As always you lovely readers… Lots of Love to you all!**

 **~Imperial**


	6. Chapter 6

**(A/N) Well here we are again, turns out writing this was definitely a good break from studying! When this is posted that means I only have one final left and then I'm free for the summer!**

 **I noticed with the question I asked last time that the majority who answered it think Marinette's cat breed would be a Siamese. You guys gave great reasons in both appearance as well as personality-wise for that choice. I may or may not have spent a good 20 minutes after that scrolling through pictures of that breed.** **If anyone else wants to voice their opinion on this topic please feel free to do so!**

 **One more thing before we begin, I would like to thank LadyKittenZ for helping to inspire a little part in this chapter. With that said let's get into what I feel will be an enlightening chapter!**

 ***boop***

For some reason, Adrien loved watching Marinette move around the apartment. Something about her going around, getting tasks done was in a way relaxing to him. It was something he felt he couldn't get tired of.

But then there were times just like now that left him concerned. He was staring at Marinette who had just taken another face first dive into the carpet. Things similar to this had happened on occasion ever since he started to live here. Whether it was banging a foot into something, running into a wall or door, or even like now tripping on nothing and tumbling to the ground. She always got up quickly after these falls, acting completely fine and quickly going back to whatever she was doing.

Marinette got up a little slower this time. It was late at night and she was still awake, even though she had to go back to work tomorrow. She sighs and turns her attention to him, giving him a quick scratch behind the ears before speaking.

"I think it's time for bed. Probably don't wanna be more of a klutz than I already am."

With that she left the main area to go through her nightly routine. He didn't follow her into the bedroom, he never did when she was going to bed. Adrien had heard that some pets sleep with their owners, but that just sounds off for his situation. It feels like he would be taking advantage of her and that was not a good thing for him at all. He was still a gentleman thank you and he had kept to that ever since the first day.

Now clad in her sleepwear, Marinette enters the main area again to turn off the lights and bolt the front door. She made her way through the now dark room, her only source of light being the light spilling out from her bedroom. She mutters a good night to him as she enters her room, the lights going out a few moments later.

She always left her door open at night, the same went for the bathroom unless she needed to use it at all. In a way, it said that if he ever wanted to come in at all, he was more than welcome to. Adrien knew that if he was in human form that might have not been the case.

As he settles himself on the couch, he can hear as Marinette's breath becomes even and soft to signify she has fallen asleep. It's not long after that Adrien let's sleep envelop him as well.

…

 _He's back in the fog. Looking down to his now human hands, he can't help but smile. This is the only place he can feel like his normal self. This is his second time here, and he knows that Fu will be here soon._

" _ **Hello Chat Noir."**_

 _Adrien turns to see Fu standing there. A smile rests on the old man's face and he can't help but return it._

" _ **I come with good news for you young man. I have caught the trail of the one who did this to you. This means we are one step closer to changing you back. There is however a slight issue."**_ _He pauses for a moment before continuing,_ _ **"She has fled to another country, this means that it will take a little longer that I had originally hoped. Rest assured, after I am done conversing with you I will be starting the journey."**_

 _The relief that came with Fu's words flooded Adrien. This was probably the first time that he felt that they really could fix this._

" _ **That was all I needed to inform you about, but I feel that you have some questions for me. We have plenty of time if you wish to ask."**_

 _He just stood there shocked. How had Fu know there were things he was wondering about? Fu just stood there with a knowing glint in his eye._

" _ **I know you have more than one. One you have been holding onto as long as you have been cursed. I will explain that one first, but then you will have to tell me your other questions."**_

 _Fu motions him to sit on the chair that had just appeared. Adrien obliged as Fu began to speak again._

" _ **The Anim curse is one that many magic users cast. It in a way involves reaching into the victim's soul. I'm sure you have heard of the phrase 'spirit animal.' I can tell you the world's view on this idea is partially true. In reality, each one of us more often than not have two. One being the true wild spirit, the other being the domestic one. The Anim usually focuses on the domestic spirit, this is a safeguard for those affected. It is much easier to go around in a city as a dog or cat than as a wild animal. As the curse goes on, you will acquire certain animalistic qualities, and some of these traits will stay even after one is reverted to normal. Do not be alarmed when these things occur. In fact, they should be embraced in a way. No doubt you have experienced a few at this point."**_

" _I… I see, is there any chance I could lose myself in my animal form?"_

 _Fu shakes his head._ _ **"No matter what form you take, nothing can make you forget who you truly are. You might act more animalistic for a time, but you will always go back to normal in the end. Now tell me, what other questions do you have?"**_

 _What other questions did he have for Fu? Nothing was really coming to mind. Well… there was one he was wondering about since he was taken to Marinette._

" _So… um… I remember you mentioned before you left that Marinette has some kind of luck aura. Why does it seem like the exact opposite for her?"_

 _Understanding filled Fu's eyes as he heard Adrien's question._ _ **"This can be explained rather easily. You see, the aura of luck affects those around her. This is turn doesn't leave much luck for her. I have noticed though, as of late it is not as bad as it once was."**_

" _And why is that?"_

" _ **I'm not entirely sure, I can figure that out when I return. If that is all you need for now, I will go. Like I said as soon as I am done talking with you, I will begin my journey. It appears to be still early in the morning so you will just have somewhat normal dreams for the rest of the time you are asleep."**_

 _Adrien simply nods at this, he feels a shift and suddenly the area around him is fading._

 _Suddenly he is at his father's house. That cold, empty place he had grown up in was something that he actually felt happy to see. He finds himself in his father's office, and he wasn't the only one in there._

 _There, sitting at the desk, was indeed his father. Gabriel Agreste was busy with what appeared to be a design as a knock was heard. Not looking up, his father spoke._

" _Yes?"_

" _Mr. Agreste, your son is here." That voice was clearly Gabriel's assistant Nathalie. What confused him was that she said that he was there, but he was already in the room…_

" _Very good, send him in."_

 _The door opened and in that moment Adrien understood what was going on._

 _A very young Adrien came into the room. If anything, he would say that he was around fifteen. This was a memory…_

" _Adrien… do you understand why I called you in here today?"_

 _Looking defeated, the younger Adrien looks down. "Yes Father."_

" _I have told you time and time again, you will not go to school. You are to stay here, safe from anything that may harm you. I will not tolerate you trying to go to that place again."_

" _But Father, why can't I just be like everyone else?"_

" _Because you are not like everyone else! You are my son and you will remain here where I can keep an eye on you! Nothing you do will change that." Gabriel composes himself and continues, "Now, you have a photoshoot soon, I want you to be on your best behavior so it can finish before the storm rolls in later today, are we understood?"_

 _Adrien can only watch as the younger version looks up to glare at his father. "Yes sir." With that he stormed out of the room._

 _It's easy to say that he remembers this and what had led up to that conversation. He had escaped the house to try to get to the school. Only to be caught by Nathalie and the Gorilla on the steps of the building. He looks to his father to see something he wasn't expecting. Gabriel was looking… guilty?_

 _Suddenly he's falling in darkness. He hears the laughter that has haunted his dreams for over a week until._

…

A door slams open. Startled awake, Adrien opens his eyes to see a frantic Marinette dashing around.

"Oh no I'm gonna be late! This is a disaster!" She dashes into the room she always leaves closed, coming out quickly with what appears to be a clothing bag. With that she is out the door, leaving a rather confused Adrien to sit there staring at where she had just been.

Soon enough the dreams from last night came back to him. What Fu had told him, as well as the memory from almost ten years ago. He couldn't help but sit and ponder the memory. If anything, he wasn't expecting his father to look guilty after that conversation. Gabriel Agreste was never one to show distinct emotions so it caught him off guard.

He doesn't realize how long he has sat there thinking about what his dreams had shown until he looks outside to see the sun already high in the sky. Looking around the room he notices something that is definitely out of place. Apparently in her rush, Marinette did not close the door to the unknown room. Curiosity soon took hold of Adrien and he soon finds himself making his way into the room.

It's easy to see that this is a sewing room. Adrien wanders around, looking around every corner until hopping onto the table in the center of the room. On it rests a sewing machine as well as a few sketchbooks. He carefully paws through one, becoming more and more impressed by her designs. He returns the book back to normal before making his way off the desk.

He miscalculates his landing, knocking over a basket and causing the contents to spill out.

 _Crap! This isn't good! Okay, just stay calm Agreste, you have a few hours to clean this up before Marinette gets back._ He thinks this to himself until he registers what was in the basket.

Yarn, many different colored balls of yarn. Why is he getting excited at the sight of this?

 _This is no time to think about it! Just focus on the task and get it done._

He soon realized how impossible this task was for him.

He carefully pats one of the balls, making it roll towards the basket but leaving a trail behind it. Something clicks inside him as he continues to hit the yarn. It's somewhat… enjoyable… He turns to another one, gently kneading it and discovering how soft it is. Purrs fill the empty room as he goes from one ball to another, unraveling each one and rolling around on the ground. He hasn't felt this relaxed in so long…

The sound of keys unlocking a door wakes Adrien slightly. Had he fallen asleep earlier? He's so comfortable he doesn't make the effort to get up.

"Chat? Where are you kitty? Where…"

He hears Marinette gasp and he lifts his head to look in her direction. His sight is blocked from strands of yarn that cover his face.

A mixture of laughter and groaning soon fills the apartment. She can't help her reaction of seeing Chat Noir's head pop out of the pile of unraveled yarn that is on the floor in her sewing room.

Adrien knew if he wasn't covered in fur, his face would be pure red with embarrassment now. This only worsened as he tried to detangle himself from the pile, this causing Marinette to laugh even harder. He makes his way over to Marinette and rubs into her leg as an apology. She giggles and pick him up, taking him out of the room.

"What am I going to do with you kitty? At least all my good yarn is a work." She sets him down on the couch before checking her phone. And mutters quietly but loud enough for Adrien to hear.

"Definitely don't have time to fix it now. The date is in an hour."

Adrien's ears perk up as she says this.

 _Wait… Date?_

 ***boop***

 **Hope y'all enjoyed the chapter. As you can see, we're heading into some interesting stuff for the next few chapters.**

 **Biology lesson time! So, as you guys read, the Anim curse was explained a bit more this chapter. I've decided to give you a little more information here. The Anim only focuses on the Chordata Phylum (go look it up if you're confused) but basically in an easy explanation, this curse does not include insects. So hypothetically speaking, if Marinette had been cursed with Anim… she would not have turned into a ladybug. That is a completely different curse entirely that might be mentioned in passing once, I'm not too sure yet.**

 **Before I go, I just wanna thank you all for such kind reviews! I feel so happy that this story is enjoyable for you guys. One more quick thing, I know quite a few of you have been waiting quite a while for a chapter for a certain laser-pointer story I have on this site. I can tell you all now, that it is coming out very soon, if anything it will be out this week!**

 **As always you amazing readers… Lots of love to you all!**

 **~Imperial**


	7. Chapter 7

**(A/N) Here we are again. Before we begin I wanna bring up something that one of you lovely reviewers pointed out. Songbird17 mentioned how my perverted snake reminded them of a character from Fruits Basket, and when I read it I could help but laugh at the coincidence. Honestly that wasn't intentional to do that (Yes, I've seen that anime and absolutely loved it) I can tell you now that I think about it I guess there are similar things, but sadly, the pervert snake in this story isn't as enjoyable as Ayame was. Anyways, thank you so much for pointing that out Songbird, your comment brought a smile to my face.**

 **With that out of the way…. Who's ready for the date? You won't see Marinette's point of view sad to say, but I must say there are some interesting things with this chapter. So, let's jump in shall we?**

 ***boop***

"Okay Mari, spill. I need the deets on this guy." Adrien watched as Alya bounced up and down on the couch as she said this. She had shown up about five minutes after what Adrien was dubbing 'The Yarn Incident.' He still can't believe he did that, but Fu did say that stuff like that is normal. This only made him wonder what other things could happen. Marinette somewhat shouts from the bathroom as she is getting ready.

"There's not much to spill Alya. He's the guy that got chatty with me on the bus a few weeks back."

"Oh, that's right! I remember you mentioning him. Don't tell me he stalked you until now."

Adrien hears Marinette giggle before she speaks. "No, he didn't, he's definitely not like Antonio if that's what you're asking."

Alya quickly whispered in Adrien's ear. "That's the snake just so you know. Don't worry about seeing him, Mari almost put a restraining order on him."

Not hearing the comment from the other room, Marinette continued. "We just have almost the same commute in the afternoon. Ever since he first talked to me a few weeks back, we've gotten to know each other more. He's been so nice and he's the first guy that's shown true interest in me in who knows how long."

Those words definitely surprised Adrien. _Why aren't guys interested in her? She so talented, and kind, and beautiful….. wait what?_

As he had been thinking, Marinette had come into the main area seeking Alya's approval on her outfit. A simple, short sleeved red blouse was tucked into a black pencil skirt. Her hair was kept simple and left down framing her face that was lightly touched up with makeup. The attire was somewhat form fitting causing Adrien to somewhat gawk, if cats can even do that.

"Dang girl! You'll definitely be turning heads tonight."

Marinette simply rolls her eyes at Alya, "Whatever you say, but I honestly don't think that will be the case."

"Please Mari you rock that outfit, even your cat hasn't stopped staring at you."

All attention is turned to Adrien. He feels his face heat up and is once again thankful no one can see him blush. That time is cut short when Alya receives a notification, causing her face to light up.

"Turn on the TV! The scoop I'm working on is being premiered any second!"

Marinette was quick to oblige, switching to the news network just as the news report began.

" **Good evening, it has been over a week since Adrien Agreste, son of fashion designer Gabriel Agreste, disappeared without a trace. Police still have no lead on the matter, but there is a high probability the notorious gang Akuma is the main suspect. The group has been the cause of multiple disappearances in the last few years and the police are hopeful due to the fact the other victims have been found within a matter of weeks. Gabriel Agreste is now offering a substantial reward for the person who finds his son. In other news….."**

"Isn't this great? The first big story I get to cover! Anything and everything that happens I get to report on! It's a pretty sad subject though, but I still can't believe I got the assignment."

As Alya spoke, Adrien was lost in thought. _I guess I should have known that me being missing would be big news…. But he's offering a reward? Why would he do that? It's not like he paid much attention to me before…_ His thought process was interrupted when Marinette spoke.

"It's still crazy that he disappeared. I mean, Mr. Agreste is my boss and it really was a big shock when it was first announced that he was missing."

This must be the night for Adrien to be surprised at everything. He had no clue Marinette worked for his father. Sure, he knew she designed and such, but the fact she was working there just showed how good she was. Why hadn't he see her there? Well, that could be due to the fact he's rarely been to his father's workplace as of late. On top of that, he only went to the main office and didn't walk around the rest of the building.

It wasn't long after that Marinette got a text notifying her that her date was here and waiting outside. With a quick goodbye, she was out the door leaving Alya and Adrien in a somewhat familiar situation.

"Sooooo Adrien, your last name is Agreste isn't it?"

Knowing where Alya is going with this, he only gives her a quick nod as confirmation. The sly smile on her face only grew with that response.

"I had a feeling ever since they officially announced you were missing. Oh, the irony, I'm in charge of covering any news regarding the subject and I know exactly where the missing person is." She chuckles and continues, "You wanna know a secret about the whole thing? Akuma is just a cover-up for anyone and everyone who is cursed."

That definitely made a lot more sense. It answered a lot of Adrien's question like why no other crimes were ever done in their name. Why their 'victims' always returned after a while in all different conditions. Why no one affiliated with the gang had been caught yet. The group always seemed like a myth or legend, which is exactly what it was.

"With that out of the way, I'll leave and let you brood about Mari's date."

Before he could protest, Alya was out the door. _Brood? Yeah right… Why would I brood about Marinette being on a date? She is her own person, she can date if she wants to. I bet he's a great guy, although he texted her to have her come down. If it was me, I would have come up to get her since that is what a true gentleman does. Wait…. what am I doing?_

His mind clashed like this for quite a while. He wasn't brought back to the present until he heard a familiar laugh outside the apartment.

"Go ahead and make yourself comfortable, and I'll get us something to drink."

Behind Marinette was a man that looked a few years older than her. Adrien was getting serious artist vibes with his long brown hair pulled back and a simple soul patch. His brown eyes followed Marinette as she made her way to the kitchen.

"Oh, before I forget, Theo this is Chat Noir. I'm fostering him for by uncle while he's on a business trip."

The man named Theo looks over to Adrien and smiles.

"You're so kind Marinette, you could even say you're the cat's meow."

As Marinette let out a rather unimpressed laugh. Adrien was giving Theo an unhappy glare.

 _Did he just try flirting with puns? Purrlease, that was a rather clawful attempt. He doesn't even come close to my tailent._

Marinette comes and sits down on the couch, handing Theo his drink.

"Do you try that line with every girl you flirt with?"

"Only the ones who are the only ones in my heart, like you are." He winks as he says this, causing Adrien to roll his eyes.

"I see. So, what should we do now? I have a good selection of movies, or we could…." She is cut off by her phone. Quickly glancing down before looking back up to Theo. "Sorry, one of my interns. I can call them back later."

"Might as well answer it now, we weren't doing anything yet anyways."

Marinette looks somewhat grateful as he says this. "Thank you, this might take a while so I'll head into the other room."

She proceeds to stand up, answering her phone at the same time as she makes her way into the bedroom and closes the door. Adrien can hear her talking rather enthusiastically to the person on the other end. He turns his attention to Theo, only to see him pulling out his phone and bringing it to his ear.

"Hey, sorry I couldn't answer earlier. I was busy with work….. No, I'm not doing anything tomorrow." He smiles and Adrien feels something is off, "Come on, I always have time for you. You are the only girl in my heart."

Adrien's fur is standing on end with that last sentence. This guy, he just used almost the same line he used on Marinette just minutes ago. He was leading two, maybe more women on without them even knowing…

That….

 _That bastard!_

 ***boop***

 **OOooohh man, we got some drama for you guys. I'm planning on two more chapters with our troublesome Theo so I hope y'all are ready for that.**

 **So, while typing this up I decided a name for our dear snake. He just feels like an Antonio for me and I don't know why. I can picture him in my head and the names just fits. Still not sure if I'll ever have him in a chapter, if you guys want to see him later I will gladly do so.**

 **Of course, I had to include puns sometime soon. I have a litteral meowntain of them. Mew don't even know the extent of my punnage furrends. Trust me when I say there is plenty more to come.**

 **I always love seeing what you guys think so please feel free to leave a review. They all leave a smile to my face that you guys are enjoying the series. I've got so much planned with this and I can't wait for you to see it all.**

 **As always, Lots of love to you all!**

 **~Imperial**


	8. Chapter 8

**(A/N) Well here we are again. I really enjoyed seeing all your comments about the last chapter. You'll all just have to wait and see what happens with this issue in these next two chapters. This one will be somewhat shorter, and will switch POV as well as two separate flashbacks for reasons you will see. Flashbacks are italicized and started and ended with *randomletter* but enough about that. Let's begin, shall we?**

 ***boop***

The morning after her date, Marinette and Alya met at their usual café to gossip. This was a tradition that had been occurring ever since almost the beginning of their friendship. They always came here to discuss an assortment of things. From dates to break-ups, and anything in between. Now and then, Alya would even spill certain details about her relationship with Nino. It wasn't long before they slipped into an open booth and placed their orders.

"Alright girl, you've kept me waiting long enough. How was chatty bus guy?"

Marinette giggled at her friends wording. Then again, she really didn't give Alya his name when she talked about him. She smiles and turns her attention back to Alya.

"It was good, dinner was nice. Theo is very flirty but in a way, it seems sincere."

There was silence among the two for a moment. Alya was studying Marinette's face before speaking up again.

"Something tells me you're not telling me everything that happened last night. It can't be good by the look on your face."

Marinette was hoping that her friend wouldn't catch onto that. There really was no point in hiding it now.

"Well…"

 _*l*_

 _She had just gotten off the phone with her rather eager intern. Honestly it was something that could have waited for tomorrow, but she hated to risk ignoring something big. Now at least she could be worry free and get back to her date._

 _Entering the main area, she is greeted by Theo smiling up at her. He's sitting on the couch where she had left him just minutes ago._

" _There you are beautiful. Was worried that you would be busy for the rest of the evening. Shall we watch a movie like you mentioned?"_

 _Relieved, she nods before making her way to the couch. As she is sitting down next to him, a low growl fills the room. Confused, Marinette looks around until she finds the culprit._

 _A black blur pounces into the area between the two. Chat Noir's back is arched, fur standing on end as he hisses at Theo. His pupils are dangerously thin as he continues to growl, somewhat taking a defensive stance in front of Marinette._

 _Marinette didn't even know how to react. Chat has never shown this type of behavior to anyone. What was with him? Before she can do anything, Theo cautiously stretches out the hand to try and calm the cat. Only to have Chat slash out, barely missing Theo's hands with his sharp claws. That seemed to snap her out of her daze. She scoops up the cat, minding his claws of course, and places him in the sewing room where he will be out of the way. She gives Chat a rather stern look as she closes the door on the rather irritated cat._

 _*b*_

"So, you're telling me, that Chat wasn't too happy with Theo for some reason?"

Marinette sighs, nodding as she speaks. "Exactly that, and I have no idea why he was acting like that. I mean, you remember the movie night? Chat was completely fine with everyone else. So why did he not like Theo?"

She looks up at Alya to see a rather contemplative face. If Marinette had any guess, Alya was going into investigative reporter mode.

"I'll do some research for you Mari, who knows, maybe it's something important."

Yep, definitely in reporter mode. She promptly snapped Alya out of it so they could enjoy the rest of their time together. Their café visits weren't just for 'boy gossip,' but were just for a wide assortment of conversations. In reality, they could have these discussions at any time, but this place was special for them, and they always tried to stretch the time they spent there. Sadly though, things must come to an end and soon enough they were exiting the café and heading back to the apartment complex. Alya is about to head into her apartment when Marinette calls out.

"Oh! Alya before I forget, do you think you could watch Chat tonight? My parents need help with a big order and I might as well just stay there for the night."

"Of course, Nino and I will take good care of him." Unknown to Marinette, Alya mutters under her breath after she says this, "Gives me the perfect opportunity to interrogate our troublesome Agreste."

 _*Magical POV switch since I am uncreative in transitioning! *_

That evening, Adrien once again found himself in a new place. The good thing about it was that he was right next door to his current home. The bad however, was that he had a rather intimidating reporter staring down at him right now. The fire in her eyes proved that she was going to be standing there until she gets the information she wants. At least Nino was also there, except he was currently making dinner for both him and Alya, so he can only offer some support.

"Alright Agreste… why were you acting weird last night to Mari's date?"

Of course, this was what it was about. He knew that when Marinette left this morning to spend time with Alya, all details would be spilled. He thought he would have more time to prepare for an unhappy fox. But with Marinette spending the night with her family, this confrontation happened sooner than planned. Well… might as well start explaining what happened.

A few moments later, the room was filled with curses as Alya's anger erupted. Now pacing the room, her words are mixed with somewhat growling.

"Why that little! Oh, when I get my hands on that no good, cheating, son of a…"

Things only grew from there. Alya's ears and tail had appeared from nowhere like they had the first time and even without them it was clear to see how unhappy she was. Soon enough, Nino stopped dinner preparations to calm down his girlfriend. As the other two talked amongst themselves. Adrien had time to think about what had occurred after the initial discovery.

 _*c*_

 _Of course he was going to try to stop that disgusting little cheat from getting near Marinette. That plan only backfired when Marinette herself had picked him up and taken him to the other room. Now he was stuck here, pacing back and forth while he heard the two talk in the main area. Taking a quick glance around the room, the yarn from the incident earlier was still where they had left it. There was no pull to knead or roll in it this time, not when Marinette was in the other room with a man who was leading her on. As he sat there brooding, he thought about the look she had given him before she closed the door. It was clear she was unhappy, but she didn't understand what was going on! The time he was in there seemed like an eternity, he just wanted Theo gone, and he had no idea how long it would take._

 _Sure enough, later he heard Marinette bid Theo goodbye, quickly apologizing about what had happened. Adrien didn't care since he wasn't sorry about trying to protect her. The front door was closed and he heard the distinct sound of her footsteps making its way over to him. There she stood with a rather unhappy expression, arms folded as she looked down at him._

" _What was that about kitty? Why were you acting like that?"_

 _His answer was to make his way over to her. Rubbing against her leg while letting out a loud purr. Sighing, she reaches down and scoops him up again. She brings him up and they are staring at each other._

" _What am I gonna do with you?"_

 _He reaches out a paw and lightly taps her nose, receiving a chuckle in return._

" _Silly kitty…"_

 _*n*_

"..en…. Adrien!"

He is brought out of his daze by a loud voice. Looking up, he sees Alya staring down at him again.

"You know, for cases like this I really wish that the 'no biting' rule didn't exist. Guys like that piece of trash deserve a good bite for what they do. What you can do is expose what he is doing, I can drop a hint or something like 'pets will be protective of their owners when someone is untrustworthy' or something like that. But a good amount of it will have to be done by you. So, here's the plan…"

 ***boop***

 **And there you have it, there is a plan in the works to get our untrustworthy Theo out of the picture. You'll all just have to wait and see what that is with the next chapter.**

 **I will say though, that if we get this story to 100 followers in the next few days, I miiiggghhhtt have to post the next chapter early… We're so close and I believe you guys can do it… so spread the word if you wanna see the next chapter sooner!**

 **As for this chapter. I saw a lot of you guys saying you wanted Adrien to go on the attack. It made more sense, at least for me, for him to be on defense, trying to protect Marinette rather than lashing out. I hope at least a few of you agree to that idea.**

 **Thoughts? Ideas? Please let me know! I love seeing what you guys want to see in this story. I am planning on having a few fun chapters throughout the entire story, I have a few ideas already but if you guys have some as well I would love to include them!**

 **Until next time, Lots of love to you all!**

 **~Imperial**


	9. Chapter 9

**(A/N) WOOHOO! 100 FOLLOWERS! I knew you guys could do it! It took about five hours or so to reach it which I was really not expecting. Now to fulfill my end of the deal. I hope y'all are ready to see what the plan is and what exactly happens. I think we should just dive right into this next part!**

 ***boop***

It was a simple plan, a really simple plan… The issue now was implementing said plan. There were a few things that needed to happen before it could commence. For one, Marinette needed to go on another date with the scumbag. Which was probably the easiest one. The next step was rather tricky, they either needed to be in her apartment for said date or come back here afterwards like they did the first time. With how Adrien had acted last time, Marinette had seemed unsure to bring Theo back. But with Alya's coaxing, and some rather convincing facts, not only did she feel comfortable bringing him back, but also fine with having Chat Noir in the same room as him. The rest of the steps would be done when the time finally arrived. After almost a week, a chance finally appeared. Marinette had invited Theo over for dinner and he had quickly accepted. From now on it is trying to find the perfect opportunity to expose the liar.

Adrien was now watching them from the shadows, he had been allowed to stay in the main area but hadn't really shown himself a lot. They would finish eating any moment now and he should be able to get into a good position.

"At least let me help you with the dishes." Theo had been insisting this for the last little bit. He said it in such a way that caused Adrien to roll his eyes.

"Nope, you're the guest. I can easily take care of them on my own. Just go sit on the couch or something, and then we can start that movie you brought."

A smug look appeared on Adrien's face. Marinette had unknowingly just helped in this mission. Both her and Theo stood up and took the dishes into the kitchen. While Marinette stayed there, Theo did exactly what she had suggested and sat on one of the ends of the couch, turning his body so his feet were resting on the couch and he was facing Marinette. Adrien could not believe his luck tonight, he had chosen the side that had a little side table next to it. He could finally get into position.

Adrien snuck out from his hiding place. He honestly felt like a ninja, he quickly thought about how he was playing out a nerdy dream of his as he slipped from shadow to shadow. The bell around his neck barely made a sound, and that was with his heightened hearing so as a human it would be almost nonexistent. He hopped up onto the side table with unexpected grace, the bell still was silent which was another victory in itself. He was so happy with his progress that he could purr, only to stop himself at the last second, that with expose his position and he was too close to compromise the mission now. Now it was time to wait for the opportune moment.

He quickly looked over to Marinette to make sure she wasn't watching. Her back was turned as she faced the sink, not paying any attention to what might be going on behind her. Adrien nods to himself and turns his attention back to Theo. He had pulled out his phone and was in the messaging app. He was definitely texting another girl with the messages that could be seen. He said a silent thank you to whoever this 'Amanda' was who had chosen this time to text this trash. Adrien could pounce right now, but wanted the right message to appear on the screen. Something that would be obviously show that he was in another relationship. So silently he waited, watching as Theo typed out one message after another to receive replies only seconds later. Adrien knew he would be running out of time soon, and that is when Theo sent the perfect message.

 _You are so beautiful, no one could ever replace you and that is why you are the only one who holds my heart ;)_

This was his chance! He ever so quietly crouched, readying himself for the attack. Taking one final breath, he pounced.

A black shadow blinded Theo's vision for a moment and before he knew it, his phone was gone from his hand. Frantically looking around, he sees the cat jumping off the couch with it held between his teeth. Adrien had no time to think, trying to make his way over to Marinette only to be tackled by Theo. He yowled out in surprise which in turn sent the phone flying. Both man and cat watched the phone soar through the air in somewhat slow-motion only to land safely, and slide right to Marinette's feet.

Marinette looked confusedly from the phone to the two on the ground before scooping it up and making her way over to them. Adrien managed to wriggle himself out of Theo's grasp easily since the man was frozen with dread. Marinette had stopped walking and was looking at the phone with curiosity only to narrow her eyes a few seconds later. Her mouth had become a thin line as she slid her thumb down, obviously looking through more messages on the screen. With a stone-cold expression, she glares down at Theo.

"I think you need to leave."

That seemed to unfreeze Theo from his stupor with how fast he jumped up. He tried to walk up to Marinette, only to be stopped by the hissing cat that was standing guard in front of her.

"Marinette, at least give me a chance to explain…" His voice was honeyed, trying to move around the situation. Only to freeze up again when he saw Marinette's expression darken. She turned back to the phone, quickly typing something and sending it before turning her glare back to Theo while shoving the phone in his hands.

"Get out…"

"B-but…"

"I said get out!"

With that he left, head down in defeat as his phone violently vibrated with an incoming call.

As the door closed, Adrien beamed with pride in his success. Turning around only to have that pride turn to worry as he saw the heavy, exhausted look on Marinette's face. She grabs her own phone off the kitchen counter and sends a quick text. About a minute later she answers a phone call from who Adrien is guessing is Alya.

"Hello?... yeah what I sent you is true… the evidence was right there on his phone… no I'm fine, I'm just tired is all… Alright I'll tell you all about it tomorrow."

She hung up after that. Her face expressionless as she made her way to the bedroom, turning off the lights in the main area. Adrien sits there in the dark for a few minutes, completely unsure what to do. He had been so caught up in revealing the truth that he didn't stop to think about how Marinette might take it. Now that it had happened all Adrien wanted to do was make sure that she was okay. With that decided he slowly made his way into the bedroom. He found Marinette sitting on her bed, she had changed into a pair of pajamas and had a sketch book in front of her. The lamp next to her was her only light source as she moved the pencil across the paper. He hesitated for a moment before jumping up onto the bed. Marinette stayed focused on what was on the page even when the bed somewhat shifted as he made his way over to her. He mewled in concern and lightly pawed at her arm a few times before she finally turned to look down at him. Her eyes were brimming with unshed tears and that was enough of a sign for Adrien to act. He butted his head against her side while purring loudly. This seemed to be the breaking point for Marinette as she scooped the cat into a hug and started to cry. The room was soon filled with quiet sobs and comforting purring.

Adrien didn't know how long she held him like that, nor did he care. She was in pain and all he could do was comfort her right now. All he knew is when she finally set him down and turned off the light, he didn't dare leave her. He nestled comfortably next to her, receiving an appreciative hum. In the dark, he could see her smile at him even as she closed her eyes.

"Thank you Chat." The words came out as a whisper, but it was still enough for Adrien. Within moments she was asleep with the smile still on her face. He watched her for a bit while thinking to himself.

 _There is no way I'm letting anyone else do something like this to her again, either as a cat or as my normal self. She deserves so much better that scum like him._ _I promise you Marinette, that I will do my best to protect you._

His own eyes became heavy and he curled up to sleep. Before dozing off, one more thought came to his head which caused him to smile.

 _I guess in a way this makes me her knight, and that means she's my Princess…_

 ***boop***

 **And Theo is officially gone! Most likely he will never return to this story since he has no more purpose here. He has not only one, but two women done with him right now! Also, I just came up with the name Amanda randomly since I wanted it to not be someone we knew.**

 **I hope you liked the ending of this chapter. I'm actually really happy with how it turned out, especially since it is almost exactly like it was in my head.**

 **I will post the next chapter as usual on Wednesday. I just wanted to get this chapter out since you guys are all awesome and reaching the goal. There is much more to come with this series and who knows, I might have to do something like this if we reach another milestone.**

 **A HUGE thank you to you all! I hope to continue to deliver with this story (especially with what is coming but those are details for another time).**

 **Until Wednesday, Lots of love to you all!**

 **~Imperial**


	10. Chapter 10

**(A/N) Can I just say… you guys are freakin awesome! All the positivity and love I see in the reviews always brings a smile to my face. When I sit down to type up these chapters, I'm always excited to see all of your reactions. I hope I can continue to deliver for you guys. We're at chapter 10 and I can say that we are still not half way through the story (we're close I think but I'm also not entirely sure how long this story will be, especially with what's coming in future chapters). I can at least say it will be over 20 chapters**

 **Also side note, sorry if you got two notifications for this chapter, I forgot something and realized it just as I posted so I had to take it down quick to fix it.**

 **For this chapter, you'll be getting some more interesting details. So, let's do this!**

 ***boop***

 _The familiar fog drapes over him, causing Adrien to smile. It was only his third time in the dream realm, but he really enjoyed his time here. Fu was always more than helpful in answering any questions as well as update him. If Adrien was standing here now, that meant some important information would be arriving soon. Unlike the first two time though, he sees Fu appearing from the fog._

" _ **You appear to be adjusting well. There is a light in your eyes that wasn't there the last time we met. I can assume everything is going well between you and Marinette?"**_

 _Even in this dream Adrien felt his face heat up. A knowing grin spread across Fu's face as he observed the growing blush on his face._

" _ **I understand, do not worry Chat Noir I am not unhappy with these events. Quite the opposite really. I believe you will be a good friend to Marinette after you are returned to normal, maybe even something more."**_ _Fu winks with the last few words, causing Adrien to feel even more flustered. Unable to think of anything to say, Adrien just sits there staring at Fu until he speaks again._ _ **"I can assume you know why I am here. I am now in the same country as your attacker. It will take me a little time to track them down. After that I should be back in the next few weeks to turn you back and I will come to you again then."**_

 _This really was one of the reasons Adrien enjoyed these visits, every time he was informed of the progress the worry on his end was lessened._

" _I don't think I have said this yet Fu, but thank you. I can't thank you enough for going out of your way to do this." When Adrien said this, he was being sincere, without Fu's help he would be lost and alone on the street. Who knows if he would be even alive at this point._

" _ **I should be thanking you as well, I understand how you exposed a rather unwanted issue this evening. I don't know the exact details of what happened, but what I did hear is that you took care of it rather well. Now before I let you go, do you have any questions for me?"**_

 _When Adrien shook his head, Fu nodded and bid him farewell. Much like last time, the area faded around him._

 _But he would soon find out, this was nothing like last time…_

 _He soon found himself in a now familiar place, gazing down at an enjoyable sight._

 _Sitting at her workplace in the sewing room was Marinette. She seemed to be in the middle of a project, not paying him any attention. He was leaning against the door frame just watching her, a smile rested on his face as she continued to work. After a minute or so she looked up at him, a warm, welcoming grin slowly grew. The way she looked at him was if they were well acquainted at this point. He was about to oblige her welcoming invitation when the lights went out. They both looked around wildly and that's when he heard it. That familiar laugh that had filled his dreams as of late. He turned to look at Marinette and froze._

 _Marinette's eyes were wide with fear, the woman who had cursed him stood behind her. The same dagger she used on him now was touching Marinette's throat. Adrien couldn't move, whether it was by fear or a magical force holding him there. The woman continued to laugh, olive green eyes gleaming with amusement. She moved the knife away and took a step back, unlike her neither Adrien nor Marinette could move. They both watched as the woman waved a hand, uttering a strange word as she did so. She gestured to Marinette, a strange shadow leaving her fingers and latching onto Marinette's arm. Adrien could only watch in horror as the shadow enveloped her, her screams and cries of pain ringing out until she was entirely covered. The shadow shrunk into a small ball and quickly vanished, leaving Adrien and the woman alone in the room. She started to cackle louder, enjoying Adrien's broken expression. The fox tail necklace glowed brightly, blinding him for a moment. As his eyes cleared, he discovered she had vanished. Adrien now free from whatever was holding him, dropped to his knees as tears streamed down his face. He had done nothing and now Marinette was gone, it was all his fault…_

 _..._

Adrien woke up shaking in fear. Disoriented on where exactly he was, he jumped up and looked frantically around. He was in Marinette's room, on her bed.

"Chat? What's wrong kitty?" He looked to his left to see a half-asleep Marinette looking at him in sluggish concern. Quickly he realized that what he had just seen, was just a dream. He nestled back into Marinette, purring softly and soon felt her falling back to sleep. Even though she fell back asleep quickly, Adrien was stuck thinking about that nightmare. What had occurred was something that he didn't ever want to happen.

...

The following evening Adrien found himself in another new apartment in the complex for the weekly movie night. It always changed up who's place it was held, and this week was Max's turn. Adrien couldn't help but feel envious of all the gaming systems Max had at his disposal. From a previous conversation, he had found out that Max was a game designer so his setup made sense. That wasn't the only interesting thing so far. Sabrina was finally able to make it and Adrien couldn't help but feel that he really did know her from somewhere, but he could put his… well… paw on it. She stayed close to Max as everyone prepared for the movie night. Adrien had made himself comfortable on Marinette's lap as she sat in a chair talking with some of the others. He wasn't paying attention to what they were saying due to his mind still focused on the nightmare he had experienced the night before.

"Alright everyone, let us begin with the selection process." Max had grabbed everyone's attention only to be interrupted by a knock at the door. Everyone else continued with their conversations as Max answered it before turning to look in Adrien's direction.

"Marinette, the landlords need you for a bit." Adrien's ears pricked up at this. The landlords? He couldn't remember any time of them being mentioned before. He had to jump down from Marinette's lap so she could see whatever these people needed. The door closed behind her and Alya took the chance to talk to Adrien.

"What's up Agreste? You seem sort of out of it today. The landlords will take a while so you have plenty of time to explain."

Adrien looked up at her, both she and Nino were looking down at him ready to hear whatever he had to say. He guessed it wouldn't hurt to tell them about the dream, and so he did. He explained what he had seen and the stared at him with understanding in their eyes before Nino nodded and spoke.

"Not surprised you're getting those kinds of nightmares now, both Alya and I experienced something similar when we were cursed. I guess I can say that they are normal, but I guess they can be observed as a warning if you really wanted. I wouldn't get hung up on it though man."

Alya quickly agreed before folding her arms in somewhat annoyance. "I don't like how that witch has a fox tail necklace, it makes us foxes look bad."

Their conversation is cut of quickly with the sound of glass breaking. They all turn their heads to see Alix standing there with a shattered cup at her feet. Her face was pure white as she looked at them.

"Did he just say the person who cursed him had a fox tail necklace?" Her voice was quiet, only loud enough for the three to hear. As they nodded she spoke up quickly again much louder this time.

"W-what did she l-look like!?"

Adrien quickly relayed the information to Alya, and as Alya spoke, Alix began to tremble more and more in fear. Her breathing became shallow and quickly, clearly beginning to panic. Before they knew it, Kim had rushed over to her, trying to calm her down. Kim was the first to speak up out of everyone.

"It looks like you have something in common with a few of us Adrien. You're not the only one in this room who was cursed by that person."

Adrien took that moment to look around to the other to see mixed faces. While most looked concerned for Alix, a few had different reactions. Namely Ivan, Nathaniel, and Sabrina. Ivan just looked angry at the mention of the description. Nathaniel seemed nervous and Sabrina was almost as terrified as Alix had been.

" _Is… is Alix going to be okay?"_

Alya quickly asked Kim this, and he was quick to reply.

"She'll be fine in a few minutes, just have to calm her down. Alix went through terrible things because of that… that…" Kim clearly wanted to say certain things, but instead turned attention back to Alix.

Adrien remembered when they had been introduced, Alix had said something about cursed to be a time-jumper or something along those lines. He didn't know what that fully entailed, but it must have been awful if this was how she was reacting to just the description of the woman who had apparently cursed them both. He stared up at Kim and nodded in understanding.

By the time everyone had calmed down and continued in small talk, Marinette entered the apartment again. She quickly explaining how it was her apartment's turn for the annual fire alarm check. Soon after, a rather similar movie debate begun just with a few different movies. All Adrien remembered from the decision-making process is that Alya had jokingly suggested the movie musical Cats, causing Marinette to laugh and somewhat agree. It wasn't chosen in the end, he wasn't even sure what was chosen since he didn't even pay attention to the movie. Both the nightmare and the surprising discovery from a few minutes ago were overpowering any other thought. There is a chance that this woman could return and harm Marinette. It wasn't a possibility now since she is on the run from Fu, but the threat is still there. As Marinette mindlessly stroked him he made a decision, there was no way, absolutely no way that he would ever let that woman lay a finger on Marinette. She would not be affected like he and a few of her friends had been if he had any say about it.

 ***boop***

 **So, I've been wondering, would any of you be interested in a side fic focusing on what exactly happened to Alix? The idea has been floating around in my head ever since I introduced her curse a few chapters back. It would only be a few chapters long and it would include how she and Kim met. If you guys are interested, please let me know.**

 **I wanted to include something else in this chapter, but it would have made it quite a bit longer. So, next chapter is gonna be a cute one so I hope you'll be ready for that, it might be shorter so I might be posting something else on the side.**

 **I watched the movie version of Cats recently so I had to at least include a mention. I haven't seen it in years and decided to watch it again. I do have to say it's a great movie, but seeing a production of it live is way more fun.**

 **Well lovely people, until next week, Lots of love to you all!**

 **~Imperial**


	11. Chapter 11

**(A/N) Hello everyone! After unanimous agreeance, I will be doing the Alix side story. I'll get that started up in a few weeks because I have been procrastinating a different short story I have and should really finish it up. So, I'll post the final chapter of Chat's Laser-Focus first and then dive into what I'm pretty sure will be titled Time-Jumper.**

 **Ready for a fun, cute chapter after the somewhat darker tone last week? Also, will have a POV switch for specifics you'll see. For something in this chapter, I did some rather interesting research and had a blast doing it. I will go more into detail after this chapter is over since there are some things that need explaining. Let's get into it, shall we?**

 ***boop***

Two days after the movie night, Adrien found himself yet again alone in the apartment. With Marinette working almost every day, this was expected. Knowing where she worked and what she does made it easier to understand, but it was still lonely. It definitely wasn't as lonely as that big, empty house his father had, he knew at least that someone would be back soon and actually spend time with him.

Speaking of which, he always enjoyed it whenever Marinette came home. She was surrounded by this warm and caring energy that Adrien easily felt drawn to. She always went out of her way to spend time with him which he greatly appreciated, even if she didn't realize that he was actually human. Other than that, most days all he really did was sleep, yet another cat attribute he was picking up.

Currently Adrien was lying down in a rather nice patch of sunlight. The light came down from the window as a strip on the floor and he couldn't help but stretch out and relax in its warmth. By the position of the sun, he could guess that it was around early afternoon. This meant a few more hours until Marinette got back from work, and all he needed to do between now and then was just enjoy this sun spot.

He spoke too soon…

His tiredly moves his head to the door which was currently being opened. There stood Alya with a rather determined expression. Before he can say anything, she is quick to answer his unspoken question.

"I have Mari's spare key for emergency purposes. Now I need you to come with me, we've got an important meeting at my place."

He quietly obeyed and followed her to the apartment next door. Quite a good number of those from the movie night were sitting there waiting. A few had their phones out on speaker for those who couldn't be there in person. Alya quickly exited to get the remaining person leaving Adrien to figure out who to sit by. In the end, he went over by Kim and Nino. They soon engaged in conversation, with Nino acting as a translator of sorts from Adrien to Kim. Concerned about what had happened a few days ago, Adrien couldn't help but ask about Alix again, and Kim was quick to oblige.

"Alix is fine, it's sort of a PTSD for her you know? It really didn't affect her while she was going through it, but now that she's free, it's really taken its toll. If… If I hadn't been there at that time… there would be a high chance she wouldn't even be alive now…"

Seeing Adrien's wide-eyed expression, Kim turned so his back was facing him and lifted his shirt up. Adrien wasn't expecting to see two identical scars, running parallel down the inside of his shoulder-blades.

"My family has a special kind of magic, you can somewhat compare it to the myths of Cupid if you want. Basically, I gave up my wings so she could be free from her curse." Before Adrien could say anything, another voiced pitched in.

"Showing off your 'battle scars' again Kim? I swear you whine about the whole ordeal more than I do. Or is it that you like to show off your back muscles?"

Standing by the door was Alix and Alya. Alix with a playful smirk on her face as she addressed Kim. He quickly pulled his shirt back down and looked at her challengingly. Alya spoke up before they could do anything else.

"Save it for later you two, for now, we can commence with final detail planning for 'Operation Birthday.'"

"Really Alya? That's the best name you can come up with?" Nino teasingly poked at his girlfriend, causing her to raise an eyebrow.

"Why yes Nino, especially since I have been planning out every other detail of this I couldn't spare any more time to come up with a 'sick' title. Remember who's in charge of this project as well as who's best friends with the birthday girl in question."

"You may be her best friend, but I've known her since we were little kids. So, I beat you there." He playfully winks at her to receive a quick glare.

Everyone in the room chuckled at the two. The meeting followed quickly after that with Adrien being brought up to speed. Apparently in a matter of days it would be Marinette's birthday, which Adrien felt bad since it was his first-time hearing about it. Then again, it's not like Marinette ever talked about it. This meeting was more of a wrap up and making sure everything was in order for next week. It was over before Adrien even knew it. Soon only him, Nino, and Alya remained. Alya looks at Adrien with a sincere smile on her face.

"Hey, Adrien? Did you want us to do something for Mari from you?"

Adrien thought for a moment, trying to think of something that would work. Deciding rather quickly he looks up to them and telling them the specifics.

…

That following Wednesday, Marinette found herself in her now rather decorated apartment. She wasn't really surprised when she opened the door to see plenty of her friends there to celebrate her birthday. The party was now in full swing and even though she was 'the guest of honor,' she went around to make sure everyone was enjoying themselves, causing Alya to basically not leave her side. She decides to go along with Alya's pestering and almost misses the knock at the door.

"Excuse me, are you Miss Dupain-Cheng?"

She looks confusedly at the delivery-man standing there. She confirms and is given a clipboard to sign for whatever exactly he is here for. Returning it, she couldn't help but gasp at what was probably the prettiest bouquet she's ever seen. Flowers in a mix of pinks, reds, and white are all organized in such a professional way that she is somewhat reluctant to take it. At this point she has completely forgotten that the delivery-man was there as she begins to identify some of the various types of flowers in the gorgeous bouquet that is now in her hands. What appear to be white Heathers are spread evenly along the edges. Both light red and pink Carnations make up the bulk of the bouquet with a few dark pink and red Roses uniformly spread throughout. An unknown white flower is mixed in there as well, it looks familiar but she can't place the name at the moment. Turning it around to look at every angle, she almost misses the single red tulip that rests in the direct center of it all. The entire thing is tied up in a pink silk ribbon with what looks like a note attached. She barely registers her friends around her as she reaches for the note and reads.

 _Princess,_

 _First and foremost, Happy Birthday! I can't help but feel grateful that I have been getting to know you as of late. I am unable to do anything else currently, but I wanted to at least show my appreciation in some way. I truly hope that this bouquet will suffice for now._

 _Sincerely,_

 _Your Knight_

Her Knight? Who in the world could that be? And what was with the Princess thing? Marinette was honestly trying to figure out anyone it could be but was coming up with nothing.

"You okay girl?" Alya's voice snaps her out of her thoughts. Marinette looks over to her friends and smiles.

"I just… I don't know who it's from… I wish I could thank them for this."

"Don't sweat it Mari, I'm sure your secret admirer will turn up eventually." Marinette doesn't catch the wink that Alya sends to the cat on the couch. At that moment, she was focused on Rose giving compliment after compliment about the bouquet. Thanks to Rose though, she finally figured out the other white flowers were Gardenias. After that conversation, Marinette carefully makes her way over to the cabinet where she keeps her vases. It doesn't take long to put everything together and place it on the coffee table for everyone to appreciate. She sighs contently before taking a seat on the couch, the card that came with the flowers still in her hand. Chat Noir took that moment to make his way over to her and nestle up. His purrs causing her to smile and move her hand to his head, causing the purrs to become louder as she scratched behind his ears. A somewhat peaceful feeling surrounds the two as the party continues on around them.

 ***boop***

 **And Done! Now I'm sure some of you are wondering, why those specific flowers and such. Well, something I learned years ago is that certain flowers have certain meanings. I really didn't look into it again until this last year but for some reason I fell in love with the idea. So, I'm gonna give you all a quick flower meaning lesson so you can appreciate Adrien's picks more. This is what I did my research on so I could give the best results.**

 **Carnation: Light Red; admiration. Pink; gratitude**

 **Gardenia: purity and sweetness (also secret love)**

 **Rose: Dark Pink; gratitude. Red; respect, admiration, devotion, and love obviously**

 **White Heather: protection**

 **Tulip: Red; declaration of love**

 **I could have done more but these ones just felt right for the current situation. Obviously at this point Adrien's feelings are becoming to come out. I'll probably include more flower stuff later on since I just love it for some reason.**

 **Does any other writer have those moments when they finally figure out an important detail for a story? Because I did this weekend for a later chapter of this series and I am so happy right now. Sorry to say I cannot tell you all what that is, because well… spoilers and all... So, you'll all just have to wait and see.**

 **Next weeks should be interesting for you guys, won't say too much but we'll all be seeing another familiar face.**

 **As usual, Lots of love to you all!**

 **~Imperial**


	12. Chapter 12

**(A/N) Don't really have any announcements so let's just get into it!**

 ***boop***

Adrien decided very quickly that he did not like being in carriers. He knew Marinette was trying to be careful and not jostle him too much, but he really hated every second of it. Why was he in a carrier you may ask? Well…

 _*flashback*_

" _So, you're telling me that your boss is allowing people to bring their pets to work for a day?" Alya looks at her friend with hidden amusement._

" _Yeah, apparently it's an experiment. The Japan location for the company does it daily and according to their results, 'It has been producing more creativity among employees, as well as higher work ethic.' So now they are trying it here to see if it offers the same results."_

" _So that means you'll be taking Chat Noir to work with you tomorrow?"_

 _Marinette looks at the cat lying on her lap before continuing. "Might as well, Chat has already inspired a few designs, so maybe it will really work."_

 _*end*_

So here he was, trying to keep his balance as Marinette carried him to her work. He looks up to see the all too familiar Agreste headquarters just a few steps away. He was about to see a new area of his father's company, and it was easy to say that he was excited.

Marinette greeted the receptionist in the lobby as they entered. She didn't stop to chat as she made her way over to the elevator. The ride up went rather quickly and soon they found themselves walking down a hallway. Adrien looked out of the mesh of the carrier to see the hall open to a big room with multiple workstations set up. There are already a few people there it looks like, as well as a few with pets. Curious, he scanned the room trying to figure out which one was Marinette's, only, she just kept walking past them all. His ears perk when he hears the sound of her grabbing keys from her bag and unlocking a door. The realization of what was happening only made him more impressed with Marinette.

He has heard it from his father multiple times. Only his top designers have their own, personal offices in the building, and Marinette had one of these offices. He had only seen bits and pieces of her designs in the past and those were fantastic. Just how talented was she?

Soon enough the carrier is set down and opened. Adrien walks out and quickly takes in the room. He had seen the set up for the designers before so that wasn't a surprised. The wall facing the open room was made entirely of glass. The wall to the left was a full window to the outside. If anything for him, it made almost the entire room a very easy place for sun spots, this left the possibility for napping areas very numerous. Hearing the purr he let out, Marinette chuckled before getting started with her work. It was somewhat similar to what she did at home, except for the times either coworkers came in for various projects, or she left the room to go to them for those things. He learned very quickly that he couldn't lay on her lap with how often she had to get up. Soon though he decided to make himself comfortable on an open space of the main desk in the room. It gave him full access to see her designs and it was clear to him now why she deserved the personal office. Even the roughest sketches had such detail and inspiration, and for him they all stood out in their own way. He wasn't going to like and say he didn't feel cheeky when he saw the ones that he could guess were inspired by him. It made him wonder if he's ever worn her designs before. She starts to hum to herself and soon Adrien feels a wave of relaxation roll over him. It's only been about two hours since they got there, so he might as well nap for a bit to pass the time.

…

"No, I just got to her office, she isn't in at the moment but I can wait…"

A voice woke him, it wasn't Marinette's but it was still familiar. He rolls over and cracks an eye open only to jerk fully awake in surprise.

Standing in the open doorway was Chloe Bourgeois. Adrien felt both joy and confusion for seeing her here. She wasn't paying any attention to him as she continued to talk on the phone.

"Make sure you text me what you want included Sabrina. You know how she works better than I do."

So that's where he recognized Sabrina from! Chloe always hung out with her and he had even met her a few years back. He feels himself freeze when she stares at him confusedly.

"Any idea why she has a cat here?... yes, it's black… Well that definitely sounds like something Marinette would do." Chloe's face suddenly shifts to something more insecure, something Adrien rarely saw. "You know as much as I want to, I don't think that would go over well… Sabrina, you know how I treated some of them back then… No, I won't take your time set aside for them, I've told you that how many times now? Besides, you don't get to spend a lot of time with Max as it is so why would I take that from you?"

It was easy to say that Adrien was confused by the one side of the conversation he was hearing. It suddenly hit him that Chloe has never come to the movie night, only Sabrina has. Did… did she not feel accepted enough to join?

Chloe turns to see Marinette slowly making her way back over, not aware that she is waiting for her.

"Looks like she's here, remember to send me what you want… Alright, see you later." She hangs up and enters the room from the doorway. To Adrien's surprise, her face changes to one that he had seen many times, only it didn't fit what she had been talking about just moments ago. In a way, it was like a mask. Marinette enters the room to see Chloe waiting for her. Slight discomfort flashes across her face but she soon forces a smile.

"Hello Chloe, what can I help you with." There is reluctance in her voice, but if Chloe notices, she doesn't say anything. She studies her nails as she replies.

"Well Marinette, there is a gala coming up and Sabrina and I need dresses. Gabriel said he was too busy to design it himself so I came to you as a last resort." Adrien caught the sight of Marinette rolling her eyes before gesturing for Chloe to sit. They began discussing the designs, Chloe giving her details first and then reading off the text from Sabrina while Marinette jotted everything down. It was over quickly and soon Chloe got up to leave. Walking past the doorway, she stops and glances back with regret clearly showing before continuing on. Marinette had already started working so she didn't notice the look, but Adrien had. What had happened between the two that caused both Marinette and Chloe to act the way that they did? That would be something he would have to slowly get out of Marinette when he got back to normal. The best he can do now is offer at least a small bit of comfort for her as she continued drawing the rough sketches.

The next few hours were focused on this task, even during her lunch break she was working on the two designs. Adding some things and taking out others, she was clearly in a zone that even he couldn't get her out of. Not to say it was boring or anything, it was actually quite fascinating seeing the designs become more and more detailed. It reminded him of when he was a little kid, his father used to let him sit on his lap while he designed. It was definitely one of the happier memories with his father, and that's why he loved it.

Soon enough, she lifts the designs and studies them intently before nodding in satisfaction. Adrien personally thought it was going to take longer to come up with the designs, but Marinette had taken only a few hours. She sets them aside to start working on another task, only to get stuck on a different piece. Watching her slowly get more and more frustrated caused Adrien to decide that she needs an actual break now. He gets up from where he was sitting, and plops himself right in front of her.

"Chat… no." The warning is there but he decides to ignore it. A smug look on his face as he mewls back at her. She moves him only to have him come back to the exact same spot. Marinette tries this a few more times before sighing in defeat.

"Fine kitty, let's take a break." She reaches into her bag and pulls out a cheap ball of yarn and tosses it to the ground. She laughs as he jumps down and starts to chase it. She grabs one of the ends and dangles it in front of him on the ground, taking it out of reach as he tries to pounce at it. They continue to play like this for a while before Marinette gets back to work. Whatever trouble she was having earlier with the piece was no longer there, and she completes it quickly.

About an hour or so later there is a knock on the open door causing both to look up. Adrien is shocked to see Nathalie standing there, but it was warming to see another familiar face.

"Mr. Agreste is ready to go over the next line with you." That was all she had to say for Marinette to stand up abruptly and start grabbing what she needed. Nathalie looks down at him, there is no recognition in her eyes which was expected, but in a way, it hurt. Looking up at Marinette, she continues.

"Since your shift is over after this, you can bring your cat along as well, as long as it behaves."

Adrien's eyes widened in surprise, before hopping down and following behind Marinette as they made their way to the top floor, to the office of his father.

 ***boop***

 **Yay two familiar faces! Both people that Adrien was happy to see.**

 **I should probably say something about Chloe without spoilers. No, she doesn't know about magic. So, Sabrina won't tell her that Adrien is a cat. More about Chloe and stuff will be revealed later, some even in the next chapter. This definitely won't be the last you see of her I promise you.**

 **So, the bringing your pet to work thing, I actually saw a video on that subject. A certain company in Japan has cats in their workplace and I thought it was the perfect way to get Adrien there without it being too random.**

 **So, let's just say, I'm trying an experiment for this week and next week. All I'm gonna say readers is, keep an eye out on Saturday.**

 **Next time as you can see, will get some Gabriel up in this fic. Hope you all are ready to see what happens!**

 **Until then, Lots of love to you all!**

 **~Imperial**


	13. Chapter 13

**(A/N) Well here we are, like I mentioned with the last chapter, I'm trying a little experiment. So, there are two chapters this week instead of one. This will also be the case for this next week as well. It'll switch back to normal after that for a few reasons. But for now, I hope you enjoy this chapter, especially with how we left off on Wednesday.**

 ***boop***

To say his father's office was intimidating, would be an understatement. Even the doors to it have an intense aura around them. Adrien never liked how both of Gabriel's offices held this sort of feeling, at least the one at the house is a little better than the one they were about to enter. The only person Adrien has seen who isn't affected by it besides his father, was Nathalie. But that was just focusing on the outward appearance, who knows what she's thinking behind that stern mask of hers. Marinette seemed to be alright, but there was still that look of nervousness that could easily be seen. The best he could do for her was rub against her leg in reassurance before they entered.

There sat his father, focusing on his work as usual. However, unlike every other time he saw this, Adrien felt joy. It's been quite a while since he saw his father, for some reason it was more warming than when he saw Chloe and Nathalie. He almost forgot himself and went up to him, but luckily for him he got ahold of himself as his father looked up from his desk.

"Ah, there you are Ms. Dupain-Cheng. Please take a seat and we'll begin, I don't want to keep you for too long." Marinette obeyed quickly while placing various folders and notebooks on his desk. Adrien took that opportunity to jump up into Marinette's lap, earning a surprised look from Gabriel. Seeing this and knowing his unasked question, she quickly explained.

"I'm fostering him for someone while he is out of town, I thought I would bring him since the company was trying the experiment today."

Gabriel nods with understanding as he speaks. "Of course, it simply took me off guard. May I?"

Marinette agrees and lifts Adrien from her lap to place him on an open spot on the desk. Gabriel stands up and comes closer, reaching out a hand. Adrien sniffed at it timidly, before nuzzling his head into the hand. Unknown to him, that action caused a small smile to appear on his father's face.

The meeting continued from there, Gabriel stayed standing while he offered opinions and other things on Marinette's work while he unconsciously continued to pet the cat. Adrien reveled in the feeling of his father giving him affection, of course he didn't realize it was actually his son, but still. Soon enough though, all the details had been covered and Marinette stood up to leave, calling for Chat to follow. Before they got out the door, Gabriel called out.

"One more thing Ms. Dupain-Cheng, thank you for not bringing up my son or the predicament today."

These words froze both Marinette and Adrien. Marinette seemed to recover faster than he did as she turned her head and replied.

"You have enough stress as it is sir. As much as I am concerned for his well-being, I can only imagine how much harder it must be for you."

After those words, Adrien took a closer look at his father. The dark circles under his eyes were now obvious and there was a sad aura around him, just like he had seen after the disappearance of his mother…

Gabriel seemed taken back by her words. "Tell me, did you know my son personally Miss Dupain-Cheng?"

She chuckled as she shook her head in response, she turned to fully face him and stared at him with a smile on her face.

"No sir, but I did meet him years ago. And to this day I still think of him as the reason I didn't give up on my fashion designer dream." These words caused Gabriel's eyebrows to raise in surprise. She then chose to give an explanation to help him understand. "It was probably ten years ago now. I hit a low due to certain circumstances, and out of nowhere, Adrien appeared and gave me the encouragement I needed. After that, I pursued fashion without any more doubts, and then you know the history of the competitions of yours I entered. I do hope to thank your son one day for his kinds words and inspiration."

As Marinette continued to speak, Adrien was taken back. He had met Marinette years ago? The things she was saying about him left a warm feeling inside. When had he inspired her? He earnestly tried to think of the memory as they made their way out of his father's office, and back home. For the rest of the evening, he was upset that he could not remember this meeting. He had met his princess sometime in the past, and it hurt that he couldn't think of it.

Marinette could tell that for some reason Chat was unhappy, so when bedtime came, she scooped him up and place him on her bed which he accepted without any resistance. He didn't sleep on the bed every night mind, just on certain occasions. Sleep soon took them after the long, busy day they both had shared together.

…

 _Adrien found himself in a familiar park. Looking around, he saw a younger version of himself being prepped for what appeared to be another photo shoot. He realized quickly that this was another memory dream and knew just to watch. He had experienced these a few times now, some had occurred after talking to Fu while others, like this case, just happened on random nights. Watching his younger self, he saw easily that he was upset about something, muttering to himself in words that he barely could hear._

" _Why doesn't my father understand? All I wanted was to go to school today… Why can't he just let me go?"_

 _This was a continuation of the first memory dream, wasn't it? But why this day specifically? What had occurred after the events earlier that day?_

 _He watched his younger self go through the photo shoot with ease. He chuckled as he remembered the Italian photographer who had that strange obsession with spaghetti. The wind picked up and Adrien looked up to see storm clouds close. The session had to be ended then due to the weather. Younger Adrien was talking to the photographer about something, and that when present Adrien heard a familiar voice along with the sound of ripping paper._

" _I don't understand why you even try… You have no talent whatsoever."_

 _He turned his head to see a younger Chloe. She and Sabrina were standing in front of someone who was sitting under a tree. He was trying to get a look at the persons face as Chloe continued her hurtful words._

" _You should just give up and become a loser baker like your parents. You have no future in the fashion industry Maritrash."_

 _Chloe laughed as she tossed papers into the air. One got caught in the wind, flying to land in front of younger Adrien. This seemed… familiar now… Looking back to Chloe he froze at what he saw._

 _The person sitting on the ground had very familiar bluebell eyes. In that moment Adrien knew without a doubt, it was Marinette. He stared at her, noting that her dark hair was tied back into pigtails. Usually he had seen her with her hair up in a ponytail or bun, or even just left down. It was interesting to see this hairstyle, and he actually found it quite cute on her. Her clothes he could tell she made herself, they just screamed her in every way and he smiled for a moment until he remembered the situation she was in. She simply looked defeated as the blond and her lackey scoffed and walked away to avoid the storm that was coming quickly. His heart broke for her as he watched her slowly get up and start to gather the papers. Getting a closer look, they were sketchbook pages that appeared to have been torn out, so that's what the ripping sound was from. He wanted to do something, but he knew all he could do was watch. Out of nowhere though, a familiar figure jogs up to her._

" _Hey, I think this is yours." Younger Adrien says to her with a smile. She silently nods, unsure how to take the new person standing in front of her. Present Adrien looks over the younger version's shoulder to see a very familiar sketch, he then watches as the younger one looks at her with sincerity in his eyes._

" _Would… would you mind if I saw the others? This one is amazing and you have talent."_

 _She's still silent as she stares at him surprisingly. She then cautiously hands them over, half expecting him to finish what Chloe had started. Only to receive the exact opposite when younger Adrien praised each piece individually, handing each one back when he's seen it._

 _The heaven's decided to open at that point, and the rain started to come down hard. The younger Marinette looked out from the protection of the tree in annoyance and sighed. Younger Adrien had obviously picked up on that and told her to wait for a second only to return a minute later with an umbrella. He opened it and stretched it out to her, silently telling her to take it. Adrien watch as Marinette stared and the younger version of himself, mouth slightly open while he just smiled back at her. As Adrien watched the scene between the two, he heard thunder in the distances as she slowly reached out for it, and she brought it above her head… only to have it close on her. Both Adrien's burst out laughing in surprise. This was rewarded by an adorable giggle from Marinette as she opened the umbrella again. The younger Adrien took that opportunity to say something that caused the present self to understand the words said earlier that day._

" _Listen, I saw Chloe over here before I came over. Whatever she said to you, don't take it to heart okay? She doesn't actually mean it when she says stuff like that."_

 _Before Marinette could respond they were interrupted by the honking of a car horn. Turning, they saw his bodyguard waiting in the car for him. Younger Adrien sighed before nodding farewell to her, and walked to the car only to stop when he heard a voice call out._

" _Wait!"_

 _She had snapped out of her daze and ran up to him. She handed him the original sketch he had found that had been blown to his feet. Her smile was radiant as he took it from her hands as she spoke again._

" _Thank you."_

 _That sketch! Now he remembered, he still had it in his room of his father's house! There were times he had pulled it out to remember the kind girl who had given it to him. And everything Marinette had said now made sense. He feels the dream start to fade as he continues to stare at the younger Marinette. The smile still ever present on her face as she watches his younger self be driven away…_

 ***boop***

 **I absolutely loved writing this chapter! This was one of the ones I have been looking forward to doing ever since I thought up this story. I hope you liked this version of the Umbrella Scene. Somewhat the same but it has its own little twist.**

 **Some of you might be wondering why Adrien didn't remember at first, and the answer is simple. Someday, you may touch someone's life and change their course for the better. This can occur through words or actions. You might forget it, but they never will.**

 **So… I realized something this week. I left out an important plot detail from the first chapter. Not to worry though I have plans on fixing it before those details come to play further down the road. Probably will fix it in the next few weeks. I'll be interested to see who notices the addition first.**

 **Alright lovelies I'm calling for another suggestion time. If anyone has any more fun little cat things for this series please write them in the reviews. I want to include you guys as much as possible for this story and love seeing what you guys have to offer. This will be for a few chapters from now so you all have time to think of something.**

 **Well everyone, I will see you all on Wednesday as usual!**

 **Lots of love to you all!**

 **~Imperial**


	14. Chapter 14

**(A/N) So, I'm pretty sure some of you have noticed, we reached another milestone… Cats and Curses has reached 100 REVIEWS! It really means a lot that you guys go out of your way to leave opinions, ideas, and other things on this story. It helps way more that you realize. I'm going to take this moment to thank some of my more devoted reviewers who I have notice have reviewed either on all chapters, or the vast majority.**

 **So, with that said, a big thank you to Tiger Priestess, Dragon Lord Draco, obsidiandragon182005, WildflowerDar, CrispyFics, missdragongirl, LadyKittenZ, and a huge thank you to our 100** **th** **reviewer Daisy Rhine! You guys have been the ones that have really helped this story to get to where it is. I have a lot more to come so I hope you all are ready to get started! Not gonna lie, this chapter is a little shorter and is pretty much pure fluff.**

 ***boop***

It has been a little over a month since Adrien was turned into a cat. By now he was completely used to the body, he still had issues with the tendencies obviously, but it was a lot better than it had been at the start. He had learned and seen much in his time in this form, some things he never thought to exist. Undoubtedly though, it was all for the better. He knew when he was changed back he already had quite a good amount of new friends he could hang out with. With this fact though, it led to something he knew he couldn't deny in the slightest…

He was in love…

He was in love with Marinette Dupain-Cheng…

With all the time he has spent with her, hours on end. He had so many moments with her that just left him in utter joy.

Moments like right now…

"Chat… Don't. You. Dare."

His paw was hovering next to her water bottle. Mischievousness sparkled in his eyes as he ever so slowly moved it closer and closer to the cup. His gaze locked with hers as she sternly glared at him, and with one swift movement, he nudged the bottle off the work table in her sewing room for the seventh time today. Marinette groans in defeat, knowing she won't be able to get anything else done if Chat keeps pestering her like he is.

Adrien at this point knew he had won and began to purr with delight. Even with the scowl Marinette was giving him now, he was in a fantastic mood. It had been about a week now since he had figured out how to get her out of her zone. He only ever did so when she was working herself way too hard, and so far, drawing her attention away had been successful each time. It was later in the evening anyways, not to mention she had gone to work today as well, she really needed to be done for the day. Marinette stood up, picking him up in the process, and made her way out of the sewing room. She places him on the couch and goes around the room, grabbing blankets and making some popcorn. Adrien's tail whipped around excitedly as he watched Marinette put in a movie. After she gets situated on the couch, Adrien hops onto her lap, kneading her leg for a minute before lying down. This would definitely be something he would do with her when he was back to normal. Well, maybe wait on the snuggling until they were at least in a relationship, but movie dates would be a thing that would happen often.

…

There were so many things he loved about her, so many little quirks about her that he enjoyed wholeheartedly.

He loved the way her tongue barely poked out of her mouth when she was deep in concentration.

He loved the way she would wave her arms enthusiastically when she was talking about something she loved.

He loved the care and compassion she showed to others.

There were also things he loved that people usually didn't see until later into a relationship.

Her sleep-mused hair.

How some days she would go around the kitchen, singing along to an old Jagged Stone album in her pajamas.

So many little things he absolutely adored about her.

Not that he could mention any of that! Not even if he successfully got into a relationship with her.

Still though… he loved so many things about her, he had quite the large list at this point and it would probably only grow longer from here.

…

"Chat! Here kitty!"

He had been dozing next to the door of the balcony when he heard Marinette calling for him. He got up and found her by the front door. He couldn't help but stare for as she stood there in a pink sundress. The outfit just screamed her design as he took it all in. In one arm, she held a large basket, that really peaked his interest as he came closer to her. She smiled at him as he mewled to get her attention, she crouched down, setting the basket on the floor and reached out to him.

"Let's go to the park kitty, I need some inspiration."

He purred in agreeance at the idea, and soon found himself placed at the top of the basket. Nestling into it quickly, he looked back up to her in expectance and was rewarded with a giggle from her. Soon enough they were out the door and walking down the street. Adrien quickly decided that he very much preferred this mode of transportation over the carrier, this was much less of a jolty experience and he was actually able to look around him. They were stopped about twice, one of which a child wanted to pet him and he easily obliged. Just the walk to the park was very enjoyable. No wonder Marinette had wanted to go to the park today, it was the perfect temperature with a few clouds in the sky.

They soon reached the park and found a more secluded area, due to the nicer weather it was a little more busy than usual. Marinette found a rather perfect spot under a tree that had a rather good view of the entire park. She then set the basket down and Adrien hopped out, giving her the opportunity to grab the folded blanket from the top to place on the grass. She grabbed out a few more things, one of them being a sketchbook, before sitting on the blanket, positioning herself so her back rested on the tree. Adrien simply watched as she got comfortable and began to sketch, her beautiful blue eyes sparking with excitement as her hand moved across the page. He really could just sit and watch her like this all day. He did for a while at least, until something else caught his attention. A little butterfly was fluttering around the area, and Adrien felt his cat 'hunter instinct' kick in. He stalked it mostly, pouncing at opportune moments, only to miss each time. He was so busy trying to catch the butterfly, he didn't see the dog running up to him. Adrien jumped in fear when he heard the bark right behind him. He yowled, making a mad dash back over to Marinette. She quickly looked up in concern due to the sound only to see Chat being chased by a medium sized dog. He somehow managed to make it onto her lap before turning around to face the dog. His back arched as he hissed a warning at the still advancing dog, which in turn caused the dog to pause a few feet away. Fortunately, the dog's owner caught up, apologizing over and over to Marinette as they took their dog away. This left the two of them, Adrien's fur was still on end as he tried to calm down. Marinette tried to calm the terrified cat that was latched to her lap, petting him softly and muttering calming words. Slowly, he unhooked his claws that he had accidentally snagged into her dress when he had jumped into her lap. Only after he had fully calmed down did she start to laugh about the events that had just occurred. She laughed harder at the rather unhappy look Chat was giving her in return.

After a few minutes, Marinette got back to sketching, only this time with the cat curled up next to her. As she continued to draw, Adrien became lost in thought.

He really was looking forward to the day he was changed back. He wanted to meet and get to know Marinette in his human form so badly. He already had a few ideas on how he was going to do it. One such option involved meeting her at Agreste Headquarters. He could just pull it off as a meeting with his father and run into her 'by chance' there. Quite a few were actually somewhat along those lines while others involved just meeting her randomly on the street. He even toyed with an idea of joining for a movie night as one of Nino's 'new friends' and meet her that way. He still had some time to figure that out though. In a way, it didn't matter how he met her, it was the matter of becoming as close to her as he was in this form, maybe even a little more…

 ***boop***

 **Wow… I didn't think it would turn out that sweet… but oh well, wanted to do a cute chapter before we continue with the plot. Next time we'll continue from the park and go to another rather familiar place.**

 **I should also mention that this story passed 150 followers, a partial milestone in a way but it is still freaking awesome. It'll be interesting to see what happens as this story continues on. I hope you're all excited for what's coming next… I know I am…**

 **Well readers, I'll see you Saturday for the next chapter and the conclusion of my 'experiment'**

 **Lots of love to you all!**

 **~Imperial**


	15. Chapter 15

**(A/N) Before we begin, I would like to tell you guys I went back and edited the first chapter to include the detail I forgot. Let's see who notices it first. So, last time, we had some major fluff. Let's pick up where we left off shall we?**

 ***boop***

The sky had turned a lovely golden color before Marinette decided to leave the park. Adrien didn't mind this at all, he wouldn't have complained even if they had stayed well into the evening, just spending time with her like this was enough. He nestled himself back into the basket, and then they were off. As they walked, Adrien look around they park and quickly realized something, this was the park where they had met all those years ago, this was the park from the memory… He could easily see the fountain that had been the main focus area of the photo shoot that day, as well as the tree he had talked to her under. He made a note to make sure to come back here with her when they had properly met. During his thoughts, he failed to realize something until they had left the park.

They were going the wrong way…

In fact, this was the opposite way of home…

He looked up to Marinette in concern only to see she was perfectly fine. She was heading a different way for a reason and this left Adrien to wonder where exactly they were going. His question was quickly answered due to their destination being rather close to the park. He smelled the place before he saw it, the glorious scent of various baked goods quickly enveloped him. He stared up to the bakery that Marinette was obviously making her way straight toward it. Adrien's ears pricked to the sound of the chiming bell that rung out as she opened the door. Looking around, he made another note to come and buy some things from here when he was turned back. Currently, it appears there are no other customers, which leaves Adrien to be able to look at the entire display with ease.

"I'll be with you in a minute." A cheerful male voice calls from the back, causing Marinette to giggle. What she does next is a shock to Adrien. His eyes widen at her when she walks past the counter towards the voice as she replies.

"I don't think that will be necessary." She places the basket down in time for a very large man to appear and embrace her in a bear hug. Adrien really doesn't know how to take what is happening in front of him, that is, until she speaks again.

"Papa, you're crushing me." She barely manages to squeak out. This in turn causes the man who apparently is Marinette's father to belt out a loud, joyful laugh. He promptly sets her down, and they engage into a brief conversation before the man turns his attention to her basket, more importantly, to the cat in the basket.

"Taken in another foster I see? Well I can meet this little fellow in a bit. Go on and head upstairs and I'll finish up down here." He reaches up and ruffles her hair as he says this, causing Marinette to laugh while fixing what he had done. She grabs the basket and proceeds to the very back and up some stairs. Coming to a door, she knocks before quickly opening it. Inside was a very quaint living area, a woman in the kitchen turned to the sound of the door and smiled. If Adrien had any guess, this was Marinette's mother. The smaller woman looked to be of Chinese heritage as she quickly moved across the room to greet her daughter.

"It's been awhile since you last visited, you're not pushing yourself too hard I hope." Her words are a mix of teasing as well as seriousness, it seemed like a strange combination but Marinette reacted like it was nothing. They hugged quickly, mindful of the basket still in her arms. With the promise of dinner on the way, her mother offers that she and Adrien can wait up in her old room, to which Marinette easily accepted. She made her way up the stairs and opened the trap door. Adrien slowly took everything in as she placed the basket on a chaise.

For starters, it was very pink. It was a little barren since it was her old room, but there was still plenty to see. He hopped out of the basket to walk around the room, studying every corner much to Marinette's amusement. The room was rather spacious due to missing bits of furniture here and there, but still quite nice. There were steps that led to what he could guess was the bed with what appeared to be another trap door, if he had to guess it probably led to the roof. On the wall behind an old desk he saw some pictures that were still hung up, wanting to get a closer look he jumped up onto the desk and studied them closely.

The pictures were from different times in her life. One appeared to be a graduation photo of some sort. There was a class photo he stared at for quite a while. The picture appeared to have been taken around the time he had met her, that he could tell by her pigtails. As he studied it closer he noticed a good amount of familiar faces. Chloe and Sabrina were easy to pick out in it, but they were only the beginning of it. He quickly recognized younger versions of Nino, Kim, Max, Nathanael, Mylene, and Rose with a few random faces making up the rest of the class. Thinking back, he did remember Nino mentioning how he had known Marinette since they were kids, so that made sense. The others though were definitely a surprise, but then again, it's not like he ever asked. The rest of the pictures were either photos of Marinette with some of the others, or sketches of various things. Satisfied with his discoveries, he jumped down to join Marinette on the chaise. He settled in her lap and soon she began to pet him, the silence in the room quickly filled with purrs.

It wasn't long after that Marinette's mother called her down for dinner. Adrien followed close behind her as she made her way back downstairs. At some point, her father had come up and was sitting next to his wife. Her mother had set down some bowls for Adrien on the floor, one with water and the other held what appeared to be fish. They all started to eat while Marinette caught up with her parents at the same time. Adrien reveled in the warm feeling he had while seeing the interact with each other. He sincerely hoped that someday he could be sitting next to her and join in their discussions. Soon enough, they finished eating and cleaning up, all settling on the couch with Adrien snuggled into her lap. The discussion quickly became about him as they all sat there.

"Looks like this cat is very attached to you." Marinette's mother speaks with sincerity. The smile on Marinette's face grows as she looks from her mother to the cat.

"Chat really is, he's probably the one I've loved having the most." Her small frown replaces the smile as she continues. "If I could keep him I would, but Uncle Fu most definitely won't allow it. It's going to hurt to watch him leave, more than the fox was. I don't even know how much longer I have with him." Adrien could hear the sorrow in her voice, he rubbed his head into her arm affectionately. Even though she'll lose his cat self, he'll make sure to be there for her as a human.

…

It was dark by the time they left her parents' house. They had offered to give her a ride but she had declined, stating that it was only a few blocks away and assures them that she would call them when she makes it to the apartment complex. They kept to the more popular sidewalks and avoided darker lit areas. They were about two blocks away when Marinette was stopped by someone blocking her path.

Adrien felt his fur stand on end as he looked at the guy. His greasy hair was slicked back and his eyes were obviously going up and down her body, pausing at certain spots. He grinned with crooked teeth before speaking to her.

"Hey there sweetheart, where ya headin'?" His voice was nasally and caused chills to go down Adrien's spine. He growled lowly as a warning, but the man didn't seem to notice. Marinette during all of this said nothing, a stone hard glare on her face as she made her way to walk around him, only to have the man sidestep to be in front of her again.

"You know it's not nice to ignore someone who asks you a question. Now we can do this the easy way, or the hard way." He reaches out a hand to grab her arm. Unfortunately for him, he chose the wrong one to grab.

With her other hand, she whips it from behind her to pepper spray him right in the eyes. He howls in pain, letting go of her other arm and she proceeds to kick him where it matters. Soon enough he's on the ground, unable to chase after her as she starts to sprint away, she presses a button on a strange device in her hand that let out a loud alarm. It appeared she was going to make a clean escape. Unfortunately, she didn't account that he would have a friend with him.

A larger man grabs her from behind, positioning her in a way that she can't move her arms as well as causing her to drop her basket and the small device. She frantically tries to stomp on his instep as he started to drag her backwards. During their struggle, they had forgotten about the cat…

All Adrien could see was red, the only true thought he had was to protect Marinette. In a flash, he had climbed up the man from behind, and was relentless at clawing his head. With one hand, the man tried to pull the cat off while holding onto Marinette in the other. Everything became a blur to Adrien as he continued to attack the stranger. He didn't even notice that Marinette had gotten free of the man's hold, or the fact the sound of police sirens were coming closer. If he was in full control of himself, he could have prevented what happened next…

His rage was consuming him, he continued to slash out, somewhat roaring in anger. He registers hands grabbing at him from behind. He whips his body around, latches onto one of the forearms.

And he bites down…

A faint taste of blood reaches his tongue…

A yelp of pain brings him out of his daze…

A _female_ yelp of pain…

Guilt and dread fills him as he realizes what exactly he has done…

 ***boop***

 **Uh oh, we've got a problem here, now don't we? One of the two rules Fu gave him has been broken. Adrien gave in too much to his animalistic tendencies, and I don't think Fu will be too happy about that… But I guess you'll just have to find out on Wednesday.**

 **We're going back to the normal release schedule for this story, I'm thinking that Saturdays I will release one of two things each week, one thing I'm getting back to, and the other something I promised to do.**

 **Well, thoughts? Opinions? Please feel free to leave it in a review. See you all Wednesday!**

 **Lots of love to you all!**

 **~Imperial**


	16. Chapter 16

**(A/N)** **So… last time we left off on a rather interesting bit. And now we will see how it goes over with Fu. I guess you could say this chapter is where the T rating will be in play, since there will be a mention of blood as well as a rather detailed description of the bite from last time. Just a warning for those curious, if you get squeamish, Do. Not. Look up pictures of cat bites. I learned so much during my research and it can turn out quite bad. If you do get bit by a cat, please look up the proper way to clean the wound so you don't end up like some of the pictures I saw... So, let's do this!**

 ***boop***

The police were currently talking to Marinette, not that Adrien was paying any attention to their conversation. His mind was in a state of panic. Fur still standing on end with his tail frantically whipping around in fear. He had broken one of the rules… it was as simple as that… It had been an accident, but he still felt the dread of his situation. He knew he had to contact Fu tonight, maybe he would be merciful due to the events that had occurred. He really wouldn't know until he was actually talking to him.

"Chat? Come on kitty let's get home."

She was now looking down at him in concern. Marinette could easily see that Chat felt guilty about biting her, she didn't mind it since she knew he was trying to protect her. Unfortunately, it looks like they won't be going anywhere if she can't reassure him. She crouches down to him and rubs him behind the ears.

"It's okay Chat, I'm not mad at you kitty."

Adrien finds it hard to look at her in the face. Her words warm his heart a bit, but it doesn't erase what he has to do later. He pushes his head into her hand more, causing Marinette to smile in relief. She stands up, grabbing him in the process and they head home. She had declined the offer to get a ride from the police since they were rather close anyways. Soon enough, they reach the apartment complex and head inside. Before they reach her apartment, Alya intercepts them.

"Girl are you okay? You scared me with that text and I was this close to… Oh my gosh you're bleeding!"

Alya was staring wide-eyed at Marinette's right forearm. There wasn't too much blood but it was enough to obscure the actual wound. Marinette was quick to try and calm her friend down.

"I'm fine Alya, I made the mistake of trying to grab Chat, and he accidentally bit me. It looks a lot worse than it really is."

With her words, Alya's face paled for a second, before turning her head to look down at the cat. Pity and sorrow flashed across her face as they stared at each other. She switched back to a normal expression as she looked back up to Marinette.

"Well, I'm glad you weren't seriously hurt… If you need anything tonight please let me know… I'll let you go get that cleaned up, I have to call Nino anyways to let him know what happened."

Their farewells were quick, Alya had pulled out her phone and had started to talk to Nino as Marinette opened the door to her apartment. Adrien couldn't hear the conversation, only picking up the words 'Mari' and 'bite' before the door was closed. Marinette dropped the basket by the door and still carrying Adrien, she made her way into the bathroom. She set him down on the vanity while she grabbed her medical supplies. As she washed the blood away, he could see the damage he had caused.

It wasn't too bad as far as wounds go. His needle-point fangs had caused the now visible puncture wounds, the two main ones being visible right in the middle of the forearm. Two smaller ones from his lower jaw mirrored the main two on the other side. One of the main ones was slightly bigger due to that fang dragging down a little when he had initially bitten down. Next to the four main punctures, he could make out where the rest of his teeth had nicked her skin, a few dots of blood here and there signified that a few had broken skin. The area around the bites was slightly swollen with slightly red skin surround the individual punctures. Adrien watched as Marinette carefully cleaned and bandaged the wound. She twisted her arm around a few times, making sure the bandage was on securely before nodding in satisfaction. Turning to look at him, she offers a reassuring smile before picking him up again. They leave the bathroom and Marinette places him on the bed. Adrien in turn makes himself comfortable on the bed as she goes through her nightly routine. It doesn't take long for her to turn off the lights and get into bed. Due to his eyes, he can still see her clearly, and easily makes his way over to her, rubbing his head against her arm. She giggles before reaching up and rubs behind his ear again.

"I really am okay kitty, it was my fault that it happened, I shouldn't have tried to grab you."

Even though she said this, he still felt guilty about what had happened. As she pulled her hand away, he looked up to her, mewling in apology. In the darkness, he sees her eyes flash in confusion before shaking her head, absent-mindedly scratching at the bandage. She mutters a quick goodnight to him, and lets the exhaustion from that evenings events pull her into sleep quickly. Adrien knows he cannot avoid what he must do now. He curls up, remembering what Fu had told him on how to contact him, and let sleep envelope him.

…

 _He's pacing in the dream realm, Fu usually doesn't take long to arrive, but right now it is an agonizing wait. Part of him wants to try to appeal to him when he arrives, unfortunately he doesn't know how that will go over._

" _ **This is the first time you've called upon me. By the looks of things, it is not a good thing you have summoned me for."**_

 _He turns quickly to see Fu. He is patiently waiting for Adrien to speak. Well, he might as well get this over with. He begins to explain what happened, apologies spread throughout the entire story. As he finishes, he looks up to Fu to see that his face is unreadable. A slight frown on his features as he stands and thinks about what he had just been told. The seconds feel like hours as Adrien waits to see what Fu says. When he finally does speak, it isn't what Adrien had expected._

" _ **Well, I'm glad you were there to protect her."**_

 _He gapes at Fu, out of anything he could have said, he said that._

" _W-wait! What about the punishment? You told me that if I bit her or anyone there would be consequences."_

 _Fu stares into his eyes, a tired smile on his features._

" _ **Oh, but there will be, I just wish I was coming back sooner to fix this. I am close, but still another week at minimum."**_ _His face turns serious, holding all of Adrien's attention,_ _ **"The rest of the time will be hard Chat Noir, you must be willing to help in every way you can. I just hope I can finish this up quickly."**_

" _What are you saying? What exactly is going on?" Adrien just felt confused, it felt like Fu was speaking at riddles at this point._

" _ **You need to calm down before I explain any further."**_ _Even though he was starting to get agitated, he did as Fu had asked. Satisfied, Fu proceeded._ _ **"You see Chat Noir, there was another reason I told you not to bite anyone."**_ _Adrien's eyes widened at these words, but Fu simply continued._ _ **"In the world of curses… most of the time they are given to unfortunate victims by those with magic. Sometimes though, with certain curses, they can be spread through different means, I'm sure you've seen plenty of movies how lycanthropy is spread through bites. That is surprisingly accurate to how a few are spread… And the Anim curse… is one of them…"**_

 _His blood went cold at those last words. The realization hit him quickly._

" _S-so, you mean that Marinette…" Fu simply nodded, and Adrien started to panic. It suddenly became hard to breathe, he found himself clutching at his chest to try to calm down. Fear filled his eyes as he looked back at him, "W-why didn't you t-tell me sooner?"_

" _ **There was a time I used to tell those affected every detail, unfortunately, many used that to their advantage and bit anyone they came across. I was able to fix it quickly in those situations, but due to the fact I am in another country, it is not at simple. Now I need you to listen to me, I will wake you up now, and you will need to make sure to be there for her. If my guess is correct, it will start soon and finish at midnight, magic tends to like that time for some reason. She will be confused, but luckily, she'll have you and many other to help her… Best of luck Chat Noir…"**_

 _He felt the dream rapidly fade around him, he had a mission now, and it was imperative that he wake up, but, what was he forgetting?_

…

Adrien woke up suddenly, he wasn't expecting to wake up any time soon. He looked over at the clock on Marinette's side table, 11:55 pm. He grumbled to the fact that he had only been asleep for an hour, curling up, he settled back down to get some more sleep.

That's when Marinette woke up with a gasp. Her breathing was rapid and she was trying to calm herself down. Adrien could guess that she must have had a nightmare, just like he had a few weeks back. He watches as she stands up and heads to the bathroom, scratching at the bandage on her arm before closing the door behind her. He might as well wait for her to get back, he knew he must have just finished talking to Fu, so maybe by the time she comes back into the bedroom he'll remember what the conversation was.

It was two minutes later when the dream came back to him… his stomach dropped as all that had been said came flooding back to him at once. He rushes from the bed, almost getting tangled up as he does so. As he reaches the door he curses the fact he has paws, unable to open the door all he can do now is to try and get her to open the door before anything happens. He listens closely, trying to hear her. In the silence, he hears her mutter a rather confused "What the?" and he took that as the sign to get her attention.

" _Marinette! Marinette please open the door!"_ His words come out as meows as usual. While he called out, he clawed at the door, careful not to scratch it up in the process. What happens next causes his stomach to drop…

"Who… Who's there?"

…

And then she cries out in pain…

Adrien is stuck on the other side of the door, unable to help and stuck listening to Marinette screams. The heaviness in his heart only worsens as he realizes he has heard this before…

These were the exact same cries of pain from his nightmare…

There was a loud crash a few seconds later, he could hear various items falling to the ground after.

And then there was silence…

No screams…

No movement…

 _Nothing_ …

Adrien was very close to having a full-fledged panic attack, if cats can even experience those. He was trying to figure out a way to open the door when he heard the sound of the front door being unlocked. The light in the main area turned on and feet were getting closer. He blinked as the light to the bedroom was switched on, to see a rather disheveled Alya standing there. It looked like she had just jumped out of bed and made a mad dash over here. Relief overwhelmed Adrien, but not enough to forget the matter at hand.

" _Alya! I... Marinette… she…"_

"I already know the situation Adrien, I've known since I saw the bite." She didn't even wait for Adrien to reply as she continued. "Fu tells everyone the truth after they are changed back, but enough of that, we need to get to Mari... Actually… Let me check first, just make sure it's safe before you see her."

She quickly makes her way into the bathroom, quietly calling out for Marinette twice. Adrien sits impatiently, for all he can do now is wait…

 ***boop***

…

…

 **...Heh heh…**

 **See you next week! Lots of love to you all!**

 **~Imperial**


	17. Chapter 17

**(A/N) Heh heh… so last time, right? Well… alright yes, I know that was pretty out of nowhere, but that's what's been planned since I first thought up the idea of this story, long before I adapted it to the Miraculous universe. I actually feel great pride with how my writing skills have grown due to the fact that I was able to keep that hidden until the big moment. I have to say, I did enjoy all the reactions I got, yes, I knew it was evil of me, but what everyone said brought a big smile to my face. In all honesty, I would have reacted the exact same way most of you did.**

 **So… this chapter, it's actually the one I've been the most excited to write, I mean last chapter was close, but this one I actually wrote a partial rough draft before anything else in the story. I hope you all are ready for Marinette's POV for the events that occurred at the end of last chapter… So, let's do this!**

 ***boop***

 _She is walking down a street, a street she sees walks when traveling to and from work. The lamps flicker here and there in the darkness of evening. Why is she here at this time of night? She really should be heading home. There is no reason for her to be here, but that's when she hears it._

 _"…Help..."_

 _A voice from nowhere calls out, a frightened tremoring voice that pulls at her heart. Something is telling her to not go to it, but she can't just ignore a cry for help..._

 _Marinette makes her way towards the quiet voice, it's repeating that same word over and over. It is down an alley and she enters it quickly. As she travels down, she swears she can hear something or someone else, but brushes the thought aside. Is it just her of does this alley go on for quite a while?_

 _She's been walking for quite some time now. The voice is getting louder, but the other sound was as well. It takes a minute to distinguish it, but when she does she shudders._

 _It was laughter…_

 _A vile, malicious laugh that shakes Marinette to her very core._

 _A sense of urgency fills her and she starts to run. The pleading voice she soon discovers to be a man's, while the venomous laughter was that of a woman._

 _The voices continue to get louder. Her breath hitches when the man's voice starts to scream, the laugh full of amusement. She is sprinting at this point. Why does this alley seem never-ending? That thought is quickly changed when she reaches an open area at the end of the alleyway._

 _The man is standing in front of her, hunched over in pain. She reaches out a hand, trying to offer some form of comfort, only to have her hand flattened on an invisible barrier. The laughter is coming from the opposite end of Marinette. She can only make out a pair of olive green eyes looking at the man in amusement._

 _She turns her attention back to him to see a shadow enveloping him slowly. His screams only getting louder as it progresses. Marinette is trying with all of her might to get past the barrier to him, slamming both arms against it. She shouts to him, trying to get his attention, and miraculously she succeeds. He somewhat turns towards her, she can now see his blond hair looking disheveled. He looks at her with somewhat familiar green eyes before letting out one final cry of pain, and the shadow completely covers him._

 _The shadow gets smaller, all that remains is a small ball sitting on the ground._

 _She stares in shock at where he had stood just seconds before. Suddenly chills run down her spine and she looks up to see the wicked olive eyes now staring at her. Before she can react a shadow flies from small ball to latch onto her right arm._

 _She can only watch in horror as the shadow slowly spreads up her arm. She is frozen in fear, unable do anything except watch and listen to the laughter that had returned. She tries to scream only to have the shadow fill her mouth, stopping her voice. The darkness covers her vision and..._

…

She wakes up with a start. Jolting up due to the nightmare that was still clear in her mind. Marinette moves her hand, reaching up to her chest to try to help slow down her racing heartbeat. She has a dull headache and her right arm under the bandage is itching like crazy. She carefully scratches her arm to try to get rid of it, it works only for a second before returning quickly. She might as well go take the bandage off and see what's causing it, maybe some of Chat's fur got onto the bandage and was now irritating the bite. That honestly sounded plausible due to the fact that ever since she took in the cat, there had been plenty of black fur spread across the apartment, especially her clothes, those were probably affected the worst.

With that decided, she gets out of bed and makes her way into the bathroom, absentmindedly scratching at the bandage again. As she's walking, she thinks about the nightmare, it was like it was ingrained on her mind now. It felt almost real, more realistic than any other nightmare or dream she has had. What if it meant something? It might be the case that she will probably never know.

Moonlight streams through the small window in the corner of the bathroom, giving her enough light to see without blinding herself momentarily by flicking on the lights. She makes her way over to the sink, slowly and carefully unwrapping the bandage. Placing the discarded bandage in the sink just for now, she starts to examine her wound.

Well there was indeed little bits of fur touching the bite, only, some didn't look right. The coloration seemed off somewhat, and why were there white strands of fur mixed in? Maybe the antibiotic she had put on had somehow bleached it, but that didn't make sense. Marinette narrowed her eyes to study it more closely, only to be met with blurry vision. With her other arm she quickly rubbed her eyes, when she opened them again she found she could see much better than a few seconds ago, maybe she had gotten used to the darkness? Unfazed, she looked at the bite again, only to seem more confused, yes there was black fur there, but for some reason it didn't look like Chat's color. Those thoughts aside, she should really focus on why she came in here. If anything, she should really rinse these off so they stop irritating her skin.

…

They weren't coming off with the water…

They were just staying in place, even when she carefully ran her hand across it, and why did it seem like there were a few more? She patted her arm dry and decided to resort to just plucking them off with her other hand. She grabs a few and pulls, some actually come off, but she is met with strange sensation. It felt sort of like when you pull a few strands of hair from your head, only with a little more pain. Why were these sticking to her skin? The adhesive of the bandage maybe?

It was then that a dizzy spell hit her, Marinette grabbed onto the counter for stability until it stopped a few seconds later. Everything seemed fine, that was, until she felt something brush against her leg…

She jumps slightly and looks down, catching movement out of the corner of her eye as she looks at her leg. She turns her body around more, not knowing how to react when she sees a tail…

A tail that's not Chat's…

A tail that is _attached_ to her…

This… this is just another dream, isn't it?

It didn't feel like a dream… then again… neither did the nightmare she had just minutes before. With every second that passes, she convinces herself more and more that this was a dream.

Marinette groans as another dizzy spell hits her, followed quickly by the dull headache from before increasing a decent amount. After she regains her balance, she clutches her still pounding head.

Something twitches on her head…

Her hands brush against… _something_ …

She whips her head up to look in the mirror, the first thing that catches her gaze is her own eyes. They don't look, normal… in fact they don't look very humanlike. They're still blue to say the least but other than that, they don't look right in the slightest… She remembers why she was looking in the mirror quickly and looks up to the top of her head.

…Ears…

 _Animal_ ears…

They're moving… she soon realizes how improved her hearing has become, hearing the rustle of bed sheets from the other room. That fact is unimportant due to her still gaping at her own reflection.

"…What the?"

Okay, this just has to be a dream… there's no way that something like this could happen in the real world…

" _Marinette! Marinette please open the door!"_

A voice, a man's voice calls to her from the other side of the door… She also picks up the sound of something or someone scratching the door. Marinette turns her head warily towards the sound.

"Who… Who's there?"

Everything about this situation just screams a dream…

That is… until the pain starts…

Marinette cries out, this is like nothing she has ever experienced before. Her body feels like it is on fire, not just from the pain but the strange warmth that slowly is enveloping her body. Eyes squeezed shut in pain, she grips onto the counter, hearing something she can only compare to nails on a chalkboard as she loses her hold for a brief second. She calls out for help, or at least she tries to, it's like her mouth can't form the words for some reason.

It was then that she lost her balance. Instead of pitching forward or backward, she falls to the side, head smacking against the wall and dropping to the ground. Things are falling down around her but she is slowly blacking out. In the last few seconds before the darkness envelopes her, she breathes out, her entire body finishing it's shift at once. She curls up and loses consciousness.

…

The bathroom door opens slowly. A reddish-brown head of hair peaks in ever so cautiously, calling out in a whisper.

"Marinette?"

No reply from her friend, Alya enters the room fully, closing the door behind her. She calls out her name again before turning the lights on, blinking from the brightness before looking around.

There in the corner, surrounded by care products that she could guess were originally on the counter, was what Alya was guessing what Marinette had worn to bed that night. It wasn't folded up neatly and she could easily tell that there was a small body nestled inside it. She slowly makes her way towards it, not trying to disturb her friend after what she just went through. Kneeling down next to it, she can see the slow rise and fall of breathing, which caused Alya to sigh in relief. She reaches out, grabbing the bottom of the shirt and pulling it away to reveal Marinette. Alya can't help but chuckle as she stares down at what her friend has become. It looks like Nino owes her 50 euros.

 _And it's now very obvious that Marinette and Adrien are meant for each other…_

 ***boop***

 **I hope that was satisfying after making you guys wait a whole week. I just love how this chapter turned out exactly as I had envisioned it all those months ago.**

 **I really wish I could personally reply to all of your guys comment. I can do that with those with accounts but for guests I can't thank you purrsonally. So, I will just take the time to thank izzy, The SkrillRider, and RoseSama for leaving great comments!**

 **So, here's the deal, these next two weeks are the busiest I am going to be this summer. I will try my hardest to get you guys a chapter next week, but I really can't promise anything with the holiday and family plans… Rest assured if I don't get the chapter out next Wednesday, I will get it out as soon as I can after that…**

 **Well as always, I'll see you all next chapter!**

 **Lots of love to you all!**

 **~Imperial**


	18. Chapter 18

**(A/N) Hello everyone! Only like an hour late posting this chapter! Before we begin, I just want to assure you that this chapter will not end on a massive cliffhanger. I don't even feel like last chapter was, but apparently a good amount of you did… But anyways! At the end of this chapter I can tell you there will be a lot of explanations and reasoning for what I have chosen. I'll be upfront now, I know the majority said forever ago you saw her as a Siamese, and I've listened… in a way… So, let's get started!**

 ***boop***

It was now the very early hours of the morning, and there were about half a dozen somewhat awake people in Marinette's apartment. All were there to see the current state Marinette herself was in.

Not all of the main friend group was there. Alya had told Adrien that a few wouldn't wake up until they had too, namely Alix and Kim. Those that were there had mixed reactions. A disheveled Nino was grumbling in defeat as Alya smirked at him. Rose was rather bubbly as she took in Marinette's form, excitedly shaking a half-asleep Juleka. Ivan was… not really showing any reaction as Mylene gushed about how adorable it was. Finally, Max was studying Marinette carefully while keeping his distance.

Adrien had mixed feelings over the events that had occurred a few hours before. Guilt obviously was the main force inside him right now, but it didn't hide the shock he had when he had seen her. Alya had brought Marinette out of the bathroom cradled in her arms and Adrien had gaped in surprise.

She was a cat…

Just like he was…

Was it just coincidence? Or was there another hidden meaning behind it?

Just looking at her, curled up still asleep on the bed, it was still strange that it was actually her. It didn't help that she was a rather pretty cat.

On first glance, it was clear she was mostly Calico, the coloration of her fur was a dead giveaway. Max was pretty sure she was a mix though, he had suggested that she could also be part Siamese even if it wasn't as obvious. When Adrien had dared to get closer, he couldn't find the bite he had inflicted. If he had any guess it was close to the area where white and black fur met on her right front leg. At one point one of her dark ears had twitched in her sleep and he took that moment to get a closer look. Both ears had black fur, but there were a few speckles here and there of red. Her face itself sported different colored fur over each eye. The right being adorned with red while the right had black. Both patches stopped right below the eye, leaving the lower have of her face to be white. Between her eyes, he could easily see the upside down V of white fur that ended right below her ears. The rest of her head was cover with black fur that melded over to the right side, overtaking the red a little above the eye. Splotches of black and red fur were spread across her back, as was normal with pretty much any Calico. Her tail was hidden for now but Adrien had seen it when Alya had carried her out of the bathroom. The mostly black tail had a little bit of white at the end, which for some reason Adrien had found cute.

It took Adrien a second to realize that he had been staring at her for quite a while. Looking around, all eyes were on Marinette except for Alya. She was staring down at him, a knowing smile plastered on her face. He looks away quickly, his face heating up in embarrassment. It was then that Alya addressed the others.

"Alright guys, I know we discussed the possibility of this happening in the past, but now we actually have to decide on some certain things."

And thus, discussions begun. From the sounds of it, Adrien and Marinette would be alone during the day while the others were at work. They would all take turns when they could to come over and take care of the apartment.

" _Alya?"_ Adrien spoke up at one point, drawing her attention. _"What about Marinette's job? I don't think my father is very lenient with time off."_

She turns to look at Nino, both grin at each other mischievously before turning back to him.

"That won't be an issue, Fu likes to plan ahead in case situations like this were to happen. As we speak, a very authentic doctor's note is being sent to your father's office. **'Bedridden and delirious until further notice.'** It will give us as much time that is needed to get you guys changed back."

Well, that was definitely helpful, one less thing to worry about in the whole disaster that he caused.

"One more thing Adrien, you'll have to be the one to help her adjust to her new body."

What Alya had said was understandable, but it still made him nervous. Who's to say that Marinette will want anything to do with him when she wakes up. She might actually hate him after what he did, even if it was an accident. The very thought of it made Adrien's heart hurt.

Everyone's discussions were silenced when they heard movement from Marinette's direction. It was clear that she was starting to wake up. Alya starts to quickly usher everyone out of the apartment.

"I'll explain everything to her, so everyone needs to leave, that includes you cat boy. Nino, take Adrien to our place and I'll let you know when we're ready."

Adrien silently follows Nino out of the apartment. It is somewhat a relief that Alya decided to explain the situation, especially since he doesn't think he would be able to…

…

Marinette groans as she slowly comes to. Her head was pounding… She opens one bleary eye to see Alya standing in front of her.

"Hey there Mari, how are you feeling?"

She grumbles in exhaustion before replying to her friend.

" _My head hurts… and why do I feel so weird?"_

Alya nods, trying to decide the best way to go at this. Figuring out what to say, she puts a hand on her friend's head.

"Well… you had a crazy night… Now Mari, I want to you try and stay calm as I explain all that has happened, okay?"

…

It's been a few minutes now, and all Adrien can do is worry. Nino is playing some of his music to try and distract him, but it doesn't look like it's working at all.

"Dude, just calm down, it'll be over before you know it."

" _What if it isn't? What if she actually hates me when this is all over and wants nothing to do with me!?"_ Nino could clearly hear the panic in Adrien's voice. If this was anything like how Marinette would freak out, he needed to put this to an end before it gets worse.

"Adrien, look at me." He stops pacing and turns his attention to Nino as he continues. "I've known Mari for the longest out of everyone, I can assure you that she doesn't hate anyone. Sure, she's butted heads with people here and there, but as long as I've known her she is the most understanding person you will ever meet. Obviously, she is probably freaking out right now, that much is certain, but I can imagine that when she's calmed down, that she'll probably want to get to know you better. So dude, don't worry about it for now, just see what she has to say first."

Even with all the guilt that filled him, Nino's words were somewhat of a reassurance. Maybe there was still hope that he could remain close to her after this whole disaster was over.

Nino's phone decided to vibrate at that moment, it was early enough in the morning that Adrien knew who it was most likely from. He had already made his way over to the door before Nino had gotten up from his chair. Since their apartments were right next door to each other, the walk over was quite short. As they entered the main area, Alya was waiting for them.

"Well the good news is, she's stopped freaking out. It took a while, but she understands the situation at least… She's actually ready to talk to you Adrien, you can head in whenever you're ready." Her voice was quiet and gentle, it was warming since he could tell she was trying to help calm his nerves. There's no way of avoiding this, and dragging it out would only make it worse. Adrien takes a deep breath before slowly making his way into the bedroom.

There she was, sitting on the bed with her tail flicking around nervously behind her. Adrien's ears drooped in guilt as she turned her attention to him. Not being able to look her in the face, he stands there awkwardly for a few seconds before speaking.

" _H-hey…"_ He's still not looking at her, he doesn't know what he would do if he looked up to see her face filled with anger. He feels himself tense up as she speaks.

" _Hey, are you doing okay?"_

Out of all the things he thought she would say, that was not one of them. He looks up to her with wide eyes before stammering in reply.

" _Me? I should be asking you that… I was the one who did this to you…"_ He watches as she nods before speaking.

" _That may be true, but I know you didn't mean it, especially after Alya explained everything. I mean you were acting guilty even before all this happened, I don't think guilt-tripping yourself was or is necessary."_

He knew that Nino had told him not to worry, but hearing those words was nothing compared to what he had just heard. His heart warmed as he looked up at her in awe as she continued in a playful tone.

" _Besides, you're the one who has to help me adjust, I mean you have been a cat longer. I guess it makes sense now why you were so clumsy and awkward at the beginning."_

That earned a chuckle from him. It was clear to him now, everything was going to work out…

 ***boop***

 **And there we go, no cliffhanger as promised. Something to learn about me though as well, I'm not a big fan of angst. Not a fan or reading or writing it so I wasn't gonna have this whole dramatic thing. Speaking of which, time for another call for cute cat things you guys wanna see, I've already got some great suggestions from one of you and I can't wait to see what else you guys come up with.**

 **Explanation time! Yes, I know a lot of you said you think Marinette would be a Siamese, but I just couldn't picture her as a pure bred, plus with her family, it also didn't exactly work in my mind for some reason. Thus, that's why she is a mix with the Calico showing more. It kinda correlates with her appearance as well when you think about it. As for why I chose Calico, reason one is that it like a homage to Ladybug, you know red and black. Another reason is when I was looking at Calico's, they are considered lucky which correlates with her luck sort of gift in this story. So that's why I did what I did.**

 **One announcement before we end. Last week someone came to me asking if they could do fanart for the story. So, I am going to say this now,** **if anyone wants to do fanart you are all more that welcome to do so** **. In fact, I would love to see stuff like that so please contact me about it. I am more than willing to help in any way I can by giving descriptions and other things, such as Marinette's cat appearance and such. So please if you want to contact me via review or PM about it go right ahead, and ****starting next week I will be sharing with you all what art this series has gotten so far.** **I can tell you now you won't be seeing any art from me because I am completely terrible at drawing, my artistic side lies more within the performing arts.**

 **Well lovely readers, see you next week!**

 **Lots of love to you all!**

 **~Imperial**


	19. Chapter 19

**(A/N) Alright lovelies, welcome back to another chapter! I know there's a "Blackout" going on right now for plenty of writers, but I am not one of them as you can see. Definitely have a lot of respect towards those who are doing it though.**

 **So last chapter, it was pointed out to me in a kind way that I 'dun goofed.' Basically, I wrote last chapter in a way that made it say that Calico's were a cat breed, which they clearly aren't. I would like to thank the person who pointed it out to me. In reality, there are a few different breeds that can carry Calico coloring. When I was coming up with Marinette's appearance, I mainly looked at American Shorthairs if that helps to clarify things.**

 **Speaking of Marinette's cat self, a lovely reader by the name of 1quintisfan drew some fanart for us all to see! Like I said last chapter, if anyone wants to draw fanart or anything like that you are all more that welcome to do so. So for those who want to see this, you can either search brigetmiget on Deviantart, or just type this link in but get rid of the spaces, (also add a period before com)**

 **brigetmiget. deviantart com /art/ Marinettes – Cat – Desighn – 1 - 690458404**

 **Alright I've talked enough… let's get started!**

 ***boop***

It is easy to say that Marinette was more clumsy than Adrien had been when he was first changed. Then again, she had her own personal clumsiness on top of learning to adjust to her new body. At this point, Adrien had stopped counting the times whether she failed a jump, or had fallen off something entirely. Not that he was complaining or anything, she looked adorable, staying as determined as she was. There was even playful banter between the two, and the most recent conversation showing off Adrien's playful side. They had been resting on her bed when Marinette decided to make a rather ungraceful tumble off, not landing on her feet like cats were claimed to do.

" _Well Marinette, if I knew any better I would say that you're falling for me."_ Amusement shined from his eyes as he stared down at her. Marinette rolled her eyes and shook her head before replying to him.

" _Really? I don't think this is the right time for puns Ch-Adrien…"_ It was weird for her to call him by a different name after calling him Chat for over a month. It had been even stranger when she found out who he really is, it definitely would take some getting used to. All the things Alya had told her would be like that.

" _Fine, fine, you're right this isn't the place for those puns,"_ he paused before continuing with a smirk _"But it's the purrfect time fur these clawsome ones!"_

Marinette's face went blank as she stared up at Adrien, his tailed waving around in pleasure for what he had just said.

" _Adrien… no…"_

" _What? Are you not amewsed by my hissterical punnage? How can mew pawsibly find this clawful?"_

"… _Adrien…"_

" _This is purrety much mewsic to my ears…"_

"… _stop…"_

" _Purrhaps I should, even though I'm feline like I should continue, but I would hate to cause…"_

" _Don't you dare finish that sentence…"_

"… _Catlateral damage."_

Marinette simply groaned and left the room, leaving Adrien to purr in pure happiness to the puns he had managed to whip out in one sitting. It was only the first day they were both like this and he could say that he was really enjoying it.

…

"Well, looks like you've almost made it through you first day Mari." These were Alya's first words when she entered the apartment. When the group had been discussing when they would take turns, Alya had volunteered to go first rather excitedly. Now she stood by the front door, in one hand was her phone and in the other was a simple black bag. Adrien thought nothing of it, but he noticed that Marinette seemed rather wary. Alya seemed to notice this, a wide grin gracing her features before she speaks again.

"So, Mari, I think it's time for a little payback, don't you think?" She scanned both Marinette's and Adrien's confused expressions and continued, "Now that you know about everything, I've just got one word for you… Halloween."

Adrien looked over to Marinette to see the look of confusion on her face turn to one of realization and pure horror. Before he knew it, the spot where she had been standing was soon empty as she went and hid, making it impossible for Alya to grab her. He looked from Alya to where he guessed that Marinette had hid herself.

"You can't escape this girl, consider this revenge from everyone who had to be in your care." It was a rather playful tone Alya was speaking in. What in the world had happened to cause both of these reactions?

" _Nope! That is no excuse Alya! How was I supposed to know that you were actually human at the time? Plus, it wasn't even my idea."_ Marinette called from a corner of the room, Adrien could at least now pinpoint the general area she was in, but now Alya could as well. She reached into her bag and pulled out a small cylinder before grinning mischievously at Adrien.

"You might want to look away for a moment Adrien, you're not my target anyways." His eyes widened when he realized what it was, and quickly averted his eyes from where she aimed it. There was silence for a moment, before a rustle and the sound of paws smacking the ground. Alya was quietly giggling as the sound of movement came closer and closer. The temptation for Adrien to look became too much to bare and he finally gave in to see what was happening.

There was Marinette, crouched down and ready to pounce with her full attention to the ground in front of her. Her pupils blown wide as her head made slight movements. He really shouldn't have looked at where she was staring, but he did…

The red dot was slightly moving on the ground… And Adrien, despite his best efforts, soon lost himself as well…

It didn't last long, the sound of crashing brought him back to himself, as well as the sound of loud laughter. Apparently when he had given in and pounced, he had startled Marinette enough to make her jump backwards, hitting and knocking over a potted plant in the room. He stared at a now dirt-covered Marinette while Alya desperately tried to get a hold of herself behind them.

"That was better than anything I could have imagined! But in all seriousness, we should probably get you cleaned up girl."

The next thing he knew they were all in the bathroom, a rather uncomfortable Marinette being bathed in the tub by Alya while Adrien watched from the counter. After a few minutes, Alya stopped what she was doing, and slowly turned towards him with a mischievous smile on her face.

"You know, I'm pretty sure you got dirty as well Agreste, I should probably clean you up as well."

And that's how he ended up in the tub as well, he gave somewhat of some resistance, but Alya had been prepared for it. He had been bathed once before, but that time it was done by Marinette. He felt with both times that he understood why cats usually didn't like water, it wasn't exactly warm and it weighed down his fur. Marinette seemed to be feeling the same way he did. Even after it was all said and done and Alya had dried them off, they still were wet enough to be uncomfortable and somewhat cold. Marinette had been wrapped up in a large, fluffy blanket, and Adrien was seriously considering joining her when Alya entered the room again.

"Well that takes care of everything today, Kim was chosen to come over tomorrow night so I did some extra cleaning just to be safe. I must admit, that was funnier that what I had originally planned to do." She gave a light chuckle thinking about it while Marinette looked up at her with a slight shiver and wide eyes.

" _Wait… I thought you said you were going to have revenge against me… What exactly were your original plans?"_ Alya gave her a smirk and a wink before replying.

"That is for me to know and you never to find out girl. Let's just say what actually happened was more amusing to watch. I have to head out now, don't have too much fun you two." And with that, she left, leaving both Adrien and Marinette to roll their eyes at her last words. With Alya gone, Adrien turned to Marinette.

" _Hey, are you doing okay?"_ He makes his way closer to her, eyes filled with concern.

" _I'm alright, just cold is all. It doesn't really help that water clings to fur."_ She had been shivering since they had both gotten out of the tub. But now that he thought about it, he had been the same way the first time. How had he warmed up before?

…Oh…

He walked up right next to her, and curled up by her side.

" _Here, this should help somewhat. Can't go wrong with body warmth."_

He wasn't exactly touching her due to Marinette being wrapped up in the blanket, but it still was enough to give her some extra warmth, as well a warm face from embarrassment.

" _I… T-thank you, Adrien."_ With that said, she made herself a little more comfortable, and for the rest of evening they stay like that, talking about various things.

 ***boop***

 **There we go, hope you guys enjoyed their first day together. I did say there would be puns to some of you, didn't I? And from now on you'll definitely see more of that.**

 **I don't really have anything to announce right now. So next week, we'll see what happens when Kim is over, trust me when I say things will be interesting. Until next time readers.**

 **Lots of love to you all!**

 **~Imperial**


	20. Chapter 20

**(A/N) So… it looks like we get to celebrate yet again, we reached two milestones a few days apart from each other! Cats and Curses has reached 200 followers AND 200 reviews! (I find it funny because this is the 20** **th** **chapter as well) Anyways, I just want to take this moment to thank you all for helping this story get to this point. This is bigger than anything I could have hoped for this series and it really does mean a lot, that's why I like to include you all as much as I can by taking suggestions. This series still has a decent amount to go (I don't actually know how long it will end up at this point) but I will continue to work hard to get you guys great content. Once again, thank you so much.**

 **Now onto the chapter, it's Kim's turn to watch them and boy are things going to get interesting!**

 ***boop***

"So, I know I can't understand you both, but I have to ask. If I've heard correctly your last name is Agreste, right Adrien?" It was the following evening and Kim was now watching them. Due to him not being cursed with Anim before, communication was a little harder. Since that was the case, Adrien and Marinette could really only communicate with head movements. After the question was asked, Adrien promptly nods, only to be startled by Kim's loud laughter.

"Man, that is just too perfect! I bet you were so excited when you found that out Mari. The irony of this is hilarious!" Kim only laughed harder at Adrien's confused expression. Adrien turns to look at Marinette to find that she is currently glaring at Kim, in a way it felt like she was warning him not to say anything. He obviously did not heed that warning as he looked at her with a sly grin on his face.

"What's wrong Mari? I thought you said you got over your crush years ago."

Man… if looks could kill, Kim would be dead ten times over. Though, that quickly changed when Marinette noticed that Adrien was staring at her. She turned her head away in embarrassment as Kim's words clicked into place in his mind, causing his face to heat up.

Kim seemed rather oblivious to the awkwardness as he reached into his back pocket and pulled out two objects. He tossed them, causing them to land right in front of Adrien and Marinette.

"Well besides that, I brought you guys something to play with while I'm here." He ignored their annoyed looks as he continued, "These are harmless, besides, I heard about the whole yarn incident from Mari after it happened, so you might as well play with something that isn't a part of a project, right?"

Well, at least that made sense, it was also somewhat considerate when you think about it. While Marinette timidly sniffed at the one in front of her, Adrien sort of batted at his own. It was a little stuffed square so it seemed harmless enough. He batted his a few more times before Kim picked both up and tossed them again, this time Adrien jumped up and caught it in his mouth. At this point Marinette had picked up her own and was playing a little bit. This wasn't as fun as the yarn had been but it was still nice. Only… why did it smell sort of funny?

…

"… is why I came to check up on you! Why am I not surprised that you would do something like this Kim!"

Someone's voice brought him out of sleep, it sounded like Alya. Adrien grumbled as he tried to wake up properly. When had he fallen asleep? His eyes were still close as he heard her speak again.

"Honestly Kim, what the heck is wrong with you! Why is the world did you give drugs to our friends!?"

Wait… _drugs_? What did she mean by that? The last thing Adrien remembers is playing with that toy Kim brought.

"I-In my defense Alya, I didn't realize what they actually were until I opened the package. Besides, I thought you would want a video of how it turned out." Adrien heard shuffling and the door being flung open, quickly followed by a male yelp of surprise.

"I'll deal with you later. Right now, I have to take care of the mess you caused!" With that, the door was slammed while Alya muttered under her breath. A few seconds later, he heard the sound of a phone camera taking multiple pictures. Adrien opens a bleary eye to see Alya standing in front of him with a rather happy expression, which seemed opposite of what he had just heard.

"Hey there sleepy-head, are you feeling comfortable right now?" There was something in her tone of voice that he could not place. But in all honesty, he was quite comfortable. It was sort of that nice numbness when you wake up from a full night of interrupted sleep. Plus, there was also…

…Something nuzzled into him…

He opened both eyes to have his heart start to race at the sight of Marinette curled up into him. It quickened even more when he noticed his arm was over her in a protective manner. She was still asleep, so it was only him feeling flustered about it. He carefully tried to move away, only to have her nestle up to him even more. Alya simply laughed as she continued to take pictures of the two. All Adrien could really do was wait for Marinette to wake up.

…

It was now a few hours later as the two laid in bed. After Marinette had woken up and apologized profusely, Alya had shown them the video that Kim had apparently recorded. It showed both Adrien and Marinette under the influence of catnip. Apparently, Adrien had been pretty calm and just laid on the ground with a blank expression. Marinette on the other hand, had been a ball of energy, even at one point sprinting from one end of the room to the other. Another thing was that she was very playful and cuddly towards Adrien, a fact that caused them both to blush. Now, they lay on opposite sides of the bed, trying to fall asleep with embarrassing memory playing over and over in their heads. Adrien knew they should go to be like this, plus, he's had a question since before the catnip situation happened.

" _Hey… Marinette?"_ He watches as she turns her head to him, her blue eyes glowing in the dark. Clearly, she was waiting for him to continue, so he did just that, _"Before that whole thing, Kim mentioned something and I can't help but be curious. You had a crush on me?"_ He watches as her eyes widen and she starts to fidget as she stammers.

" _I w-well you see… um... I-it wasn't because you were a model or a-anything fangirl-ish like that. It o-only started when…"_

" _When I gave you the umbrella?"_ Marinette's face turns to one of surprises as she gapes at him. Adrien in turn giving a comforting gaze.

" _You… you remember that?"_ Her voice was small and full of disbelief as she said this. Wanting to get a point across, he comes closer to her.

" _Of course, given I didn't realize it was you until that discussion in my father's office. It was the bright moment of a rather unhappy day."_

Marinette nods in understanding. Adrien had been in the room when she had told his father, even if she didn't realize it until now.

" _If it makes you feel any better Marinette. The feeling was, and is mutual."_

No words come out of her mouth after Adrien says this. Hopeful green eyes meet awed blue as they continue to stare at each other until the sound of thunder in the distance brings them out of their trance. His voice is filled with kindness as he speaks again.

" _We should probably get some sleep, it's been a crazy evening after all."_

All she can do is nod again, she can't think of the right words to say. Marinette watches as Adrien settles into the middle of the bed, curling up and closing his eyes. With a small bit of courage, she makes her way over to lay next to him. They aren't touching so to speak, but they are close enough to feel the others comfort.

 ***boop***

 **I loved writing that last bit, I actually had the Umbrella Scene playing on repeat while I typed it, which I feel added to it in a way. Why I didn't do that when I was writing my version of it a few chapters back, I'll never know.**

 **So, I think this will be my last call for cute cat stuff you guys want to see. I'm starting to organize everything a bit more and I want to continue to include you guys. For example, someone forever ago said they wanted to see catnip, which I wanted to save for this part of the story. Someone also suggested Kim with a laser-pointer, so in the end I mixed the two ideas. So please if you have anything that hasn't already occurred, please leave it in a review.**

 **One more thing before I go…**

 **Hugs not Drugs**

 **Lots of love to you all!**

 **~Imperial**


	21. Chapter 21

**(A/N) Hello everyone! Welcome back to the next chapter! The love I saw for the last chapter was astounding. Not to mention many of you had some fantastic ideas and I will be using some for this chapter. Before we begin I really need to say something that I have been forgetting to do the last few weeks, so here we go.**

 **I guess you could say that Marinette could be called MariChat due to the situation…**

… **Alright, terrible joke aside, I would like to thank suicunespurr, and Random Reviewer 1 for inspiring parts of this chapter.**

 ***boop***

A few days had passed since the incident, and Marinette was slowly but surely getting the hang of things. She was a little faster than Adrien had been due to the fact he was able to help her whenever the need arose. Their days had consisted of getting to know each other more during the day followed by chatting or doing interesting things with the person who was watching them that evening. Each night had provided a new experience for Marinette that they all could laugh about. When Nino had come over the night after Kim, she had been somewhat surprised by her own purring, causing the boys to laugh at her shock. Rose and Juleka came the following night, and somehow both Adrien and Marinette had managed to get their heads stuck in the same empty tissue box at different times. After that accident, they received a large, opened cardboard box from the two girls who were trying not to giggle.

It was now the following afternoon, and Adrien was in a rather unamused position. He'd been staring down at Marinette as she had made herself comfortable in a sun patch on the floor just a few minutes before.

That was usually his spot…

And now she was there in it.

He padded around her silently, this would have been fine except for the fact that they were now both cats, and patches of warm sunlight seemed to call to them. He could honestly probably go and find another place to lay down, but he like to think that this was _his_ spot.

" _Hey Mari? I think it's my turn in this spot now."_ Her head lazily turns as she looks at him with a rather unimpressed expression.

" _Really? Your turn? Didn't realize that a spot in my apartment was your territory…"_ Her reply was in a rather playful tone, so he decides to play along as well.

" _Why of course it is Purrincess. Did mew really think cat there was any other reason I spent most of my purrecious time here?"_

Her ears twitch a bit when he had called her princess. It wasn't the first time he had done so in the last few days but it still caught her off guard in a way. As he finishes speaking, she groans before continuing their banter.

" _Because you said it like that, there is no way I'm leaving this spot now."_ As she says this, she stretches her body out even more with a mischievous gleam in her eyes. He responds by playfully tapping at her with his paw, only to not get any results. Sighing in defeat, he makes his way over to the box in the middle of the floor, nestling into it as he gets there. If he can't enjoy the sunspot right now, he can at least be comfortable in this box. It was silent for a few moments, before they began to chat with each other in their respective spots.

…

" _Whose turn was it to come over tonight?"_ Marinette sat and thought for a minute about Adrien's question. They had been told near the beginning what the order was so it was just a matter of remembering.

" _I think… I think it's Sabrina tonight. She can't stay long apparently due to some plans, but this was also the only night she could do it according to the others."_

Adrien nods as they continue to wait. Sabrina did seem to be the type to be busy most days. It had usually been a hit or miss if she was there on the weekly movie nights. It wasn't his place to know what she was up to, but there was still that little bit of curiosity. It really should be any minute now that she'll come in and take care of the things that need to be done.

No sooner did he think that when he heard voices in the hallway getting closer. One was clearly Sabrina, but the other was quiet enough that he couldn't pick out who it was. The sound of keys being pulled out followed by the door being opened accompanied by Sabrina's voice again.

"It won't take long to do this. Just make yourself comfortable while I take care of things." Sabrina is talking to someone behind her, it takes a moment for them to enter, but as they do both Adrien and Marinette's eyes widen in surprise.

In walked a rather reluctant Chloe. She looks around the room curiously before speaking to Sabrina.

"Are you sure it's okay for me to be in here? I don't think Marinette would appreciate that you brought me along." Adrien catches the side glance Sabrina sends in their direction before turning back to Chloe.

"I'm sure Marinette won't mind that you were here, besides, she's not that kind of person to act like that."

Chloe still seemed unsure as she looked around the room. Her eyes stopping on the two cats staring at her from the couch.

"She has another cat? Did the first one get lonely or something?" Sabrina looked from Chloe to the other two, trying to figure out the right thing to say.

"Marinette took in another foster before she got sick. The man who usually gives her the foster animals couldn't keep this one so she gladly said she would take care of it."

At least her lie sounded believable as Chloe nodded in understanding, buying into it without any question.

Sabrina proceeds to take care of all the little tasks assigned to her as Chloe stands there somewhat awkwardly. She soon resorts to pulling out her phone as she waits for her friend to be done. Unsure of what to do, Adrien and Marinette just stare at her, unmoving from the couch. Like she promised, it doesn't take Sabrina long to finish everything, but before they leave, she asks Chloe one more thing. It seemed as if she had planned to say it from the start.

"So… are you ever going to try and become friends with Marinette." This seems to surprise the others in the room. Marinette and Adrien's shock is only added on when Chloe replies.

"And how exactly would I do that? 'Hi Marinette, I'm sorry for treating you like crap for years but hey, we should totally be friends now.' Who in their right mind would agree to something like that?" She sighs, eyes flickering with sadness as she continues, "Who know how many terrible things I've done and said to her. I think it's better if I don't even try, it's worked so far… Can we please drop the subject now Sabrina? It's not like anything's going to change at this point."

There is a heavy silence in the room as Chloe and Sabrina leave. Adrien is completely unsure what to do as he watches the door close. He looks over to Marinette to see her expression frozen. Her eyes are wide, ears drooping slightly and her tail slowly twitches behind her. He is about to ask if she is alright when she speaks.

" _I… I had no idea she was thinking that… I guess people really can change."_ She turns her head and sees his worried expression. _"I'm alright Adrien, if that's what you're worried about, I just have a lot to think about now."_

With that said, she gets up and heads into the bedroom. He follows quietly and watches as she curls up in the bed, eyes still open in contemplation of what had just occurred minutes before. Adrien decides all he can do now is nestle up beside her, purring soothingly until they both drift off into sleep.

 ***boop***

 **And there we go, I wanted to include Chloe again in some way and thanks to suicunespurr's review suggestion, it gave me a rather good idea to do just that.**

 **So, I want to reply to a somewhat group of guest comments under the name Sn0wk1tty since these are things that would be good for everyone to know. No, I do not have a cat, my dad is actually very allergic and my eyes get irritated when I am around them (I only found that bit out quite recently actually), but I still like them and just get examples from friends as well as you lovely readers. Regarding the why isn't she a ladybug, I explain the curse in the end of chapter 6's author notes of why it is the way it is. For everyone I should mention, her Ladybug will make an appearance in this story, I have it planned out but it will be a little bit.**

 **So next week, it's going to be a little different for the chapter. Why is that you might ask, well you'll all just have to wait and see.**

 **Well I hope you lovely readers have a safe and fun week, and I'll see you all next Wednesday!**

 **Lots of love to you all!**

 **~Imperial**


	22. Chapter 22

**(A/N) Alright lovely readers, it's that time of the week again! Before I begin I wanna ask you all if you've seen or heard about the Miraculous panel about two weeks back (I forgot last week but still wanted to see your guys thoughts). All I can say is that with what they showed, I couldn't be more excited for Season 2 and will wait as patiently as it takes with that sneak peek they showed. No, I was not there in person, but I can tell you all that there are a few very good full-length videos of it on YouTube, that's where I watched it, and man was it amazing, one might even say it was miraculous.**

 **So that aside, this week is actually going to be different chapter-wise. You'll see soon enough, but this one does not focus on Adrien and Marinette. This one is actually another that I have had planned since the beginning so I hope you're ready to see what's about to happen. There will be a little bit with them in it at the end.**

 **One more thing I should mention that you will see very soon. The wicked person who started all of this in the first place, is someone from the show…**

 ***boop***

Hidden in the heart of Rome stood a small bookstore, one in which an old man was standing across the street from. No one pays him any mind as he slowly crosses the street and enters the building. The bored teenager working the front stares down, uninterested in whatever the man is droning on and on about before calling his coworker as per his request. Soon enough, the old man was guided back to what appeared to be a break room, with only a woman inside.

Her appearance was simple enough. Her brown hair was long, stretching to a little over halfway down her back. Naturally tan skin somehow helped her olive-green eyes to stand out. She flashed a smile at him, pearly whites with the smallest hint of a fake smile. Her work clothing didn't stand out much, but the fox tail necklace around her neck was certainly there to catch one's eye.

"What can I help you with today sir?" Her voice was overwhelmingly kind, it almost seemed too sincere as she offered a chair to the man. He happily obliges and watches something flicker in her eyes after he had sat down before she continues to speak.

"Can I get you anything to drink… um…"

"Fu, you may call me Fu. And your name is Lila Rossi, if I am correct." She blinks in surprise but he doesn't seem to notice, "Tea would be preferred, but if not, then water will do my dear." Fu smiles at her innocently as she walks over to the break rooms small somewhat kitchen and prepares the tea, slipping something into his rather stealthily before handing it to him. Lila watches as he takes a sip before talking.

"So… Is there anything I can do for you? I don't actually understand why you asked for me specifically. Are you looking for a certain book, or something else entirely?"

Fu sets down his cup, he keeps the innocent expression on his face as he looks into her expectant eyes.

"Well you see Miss Rossi, for over a month now I have been on the trail of something that has caused some… inconveniences for some people, and I have finally tracked it down to this store."

He watches her twitch slightly, her eyes turning slightly venomous before putting on her façade again.

"Really? I have no memory of us receiving any deliveries, aside from the ones from the establishment an hour away from here, I honestly don't know what you could possibly mean sir."

Fu suddenly feels a strange tingling in the back of his head, and pushes it away with ease. This in turn causes Lila's eyes to widen in surprise. He promptly stands up, waving a hand at the door, causing it to shine for a moment before disappearing entirely.

"I was not talking about a book, rather a person who has been causing quite a lot of issues for many people."

She sat there frozen for a minute, but soon she began to laugh and her expression turned sinister.

"So, someone finally tracked me down. I must say, you're rather strong to avoid my hexes so far… I knew you had magical knowledge after the chair, but the fact you weren't affected by the tea or my persuasion spell means you are high up in the order. Though, I regret to inform you, the fun must stop here. You see this?" She grabs the main piece of her necklace, swinging it around slightly before continuing, "This is a symbol of the highest. One of The Seven chose to train _me_ in magic, that means I am untouchable to pathetic magic-user like you."

Fu's face was unreadable as Lila spoke, which only enraged her to the point of wanting to end this quickly. She chuckles one more time, before raising an arm to him, fingers spread wide.

"You know, this isn't fun anymore. Might as well finish you so my fun is no longer interrupted. I wish I could leech the information on how you tracked me, I always make sure to be very thorough so you have left me curious." With those words, she shouts in a guttural language. The room begins to shake for a moment until she utters the last word. A flash of light overtakes the room, even in the bright light Lila is grinning like mad, only to have her jaw drop as the light fades.

Fu is still standing there, completely unaffected by the powerful spell she had cast on him, or at least _tried_ to. It was after her moment of shock that she found she is unable to move or even speak. Her eyes were glued to Fu as he took a step forward, a serious look now rested on his face.

"Well child, you have most definitely confirmed you are the culprit with those words. Allow me to answer your question before I continue. I know for a fact that those under The Fox are quiet, sneaky, and hard to track. Some pupils of The Seven would give up after a time, but those under The Turtle are always patient in their endeavors." He lifts his arm for Lila to see the turtle-shaped jewel on the bracelet on his wrist, the symbol of the third most powerful of The Seven. Her eyes widen with fear instead of surprise as he continues, "You have caused numerous problems to innocent people, and your last major curse has now affected someone who is dear to me. Now, if you cooperate, this will end quickly."

Lila feels her jaw loosen, giving her the ability to speak. She only manages to glare at him for a minute, in the end though, she was getting nowhere.

"What do you want?" She growls at him, these are definitely the words he wanted to hear as the smile returned to his face.

"Release your seal on the spell so that I might reverse the effects. You must also swear not to come after any you have cursed, or their loved ones. Are we understood Lila Rossi?"

There really is no way she can refuse the deal, she will probably be stuck like this until she agrees anyways. She reluctantly says yes and she feels the magic holding her slowly dissipate. She continues to stand still as he reaches out a hand to her.

"We shall do this the proper way Miss Rossi." Her mouth is tight in a scowl as she continues to stare at him, but soon enough they clasp hands and Fu begins the process. The room hums lowly as the magic grows. With the last phrase, the noise disappears and the door to the room returns.

"Well then, I must be on my way, do not forget your vow." And with that he left the room, leaving a fuming Lila glaring at the open door.

Fu exits the building with ease and makes his way back to his hotel. He had finished both of his missions involving Lila, and all he could do about her was wait until the second mission surrounding her was fully complete.

He would let Adrien know tonight that he was on his way to change both him and Marinette back to normal. It would probably be best to get back by tomorrow to reverse it quickly, but, it might be better to give them one more day together as they are. Besides, his plane ticket is for tomorrow night, so he might as well not rush.

…

During the time the deal was struck, in Paris it somewhat took effect. Adrien froze for a moment when he felt a strange sensation rush over him. In a way, it felt like a pressure being lifted off his chest. He was still in this cat form, but it felt different somehow. He could see the concern on Marinette's face due to his sudden freeze, but he quickly reassured her it was nothing. He decided that whatever had happened, it could only mean good things.

 ***boop***

 **And that is that! Hope you all enjoyed the little side bit, and now you know who the culprit is!**

 **In all honesty, I do not like Lila. Something I have done twice in my stories is redeem Chloe, because I feel like in the show, she shows that she can change and be good, so I love trying to show that side of her. Lila on the other hand, I saw no glimpse of redemption in her episode, so that is why she is the villain of this story. Chloe, I can deal with, but Lila is a different story.**

 **So, in this chapter some more magic stuff was mentioned. Most of it will be discussed later but I want to discuss the Seal. When some people cast curses, they will place a seal so no one else can break the curse unless the seal is removed. That's why Fu couldn't just change Adrien back in the first place.**

 **I didn't realize that my birthday month for this fandom is deemed "Fluff Month" until today. Sadly, with moving in a few weeks plus more college on the horizon I will not be participating (even though it would be fun).**

 **And no, I will not be disclosing what day my birthday is, but it is soon and you guys know what comes with Twenty-First birthdays right?**

 **A new driver's license! WOOHOO!**

… **I'm turning twenty-one and writing Miraculous fan-fics… Welp, it's too good of an oppurrtunity to paws up on.**

 **Anyways, got one more chapter planned of our cat-form cuties. Hope you all are ready for that next week!**

 **Lots of love to you all!**

 **~Imperial**


	23. Chapter 23

**(A/N) Well… like I said at the end of last chapter, we are coming to the end of our lovely main characters being cursed. I will say, it won't be the last we see of their cat forms. Anyways, keeping this short and I hope you all are ready for some more fluff.**

 ***boop***

The morning sunlight streamed into the bedroom, waking Marinette as it shown on her face. She moved her head to the side to open her eyes, avoiding light shining straight into them. Ever so slowly she stretched, feeling her muscles pop from being somewhat unmoving throughout the night. Normally she isn't a morning person, but due to her circumstances, she can enjoy them more.

Marinette turns her head to look at Adrien, still curled up in a ball and asleep. He wasn't nestled up next to her which was somewhat normal. The two of them snuggling up next to each other only happened occasionally and the very thought of it made her face heat up. To think just a few days ago, Marinette believed that he was just a normal cat. It made her _really_ embarrassed to think of the things she had done in her obliviousness, but he never brought it up. Heck, _The_ Adrien Agreste had seen her in situations that no one else would ever see, but he never made her feel ashamed about it.

She might as well let him sleep more, there really was no point in messing with him this early. Marinette silently makes her way to the edge of the bed. She hops down and leaves the room, not realizing she woke Adrien with the slight movement the bed made as she had gotten off. As she walks into the main room, she can't help but revel in the silence. Given, her ears can pick up the sound of cars passing by on the street below, but still for her it's another quiet, stress-free morning. It's not that she isn't worried about how work is going, quite the opposite really, but it's not like she can exactly do anything in her current state. All she really can do is wait for Fu to come back and fix this.

That was another thing she had slowly accepted. Magic had seemed just a silly, nonexistent thing that only children believed in, but the proof was _very_ clear to her now. At least she could say she had gotten used to this form, Adrien had been a huge help over the course of the last week.

Honestly, it still all felt like a dream…

Even though she knew it wasn't…

Speaking of Adrien, Marinette turns her head to see him walking out of the bed room, an unreadable expression on his face. He was completely lost in thought, and Marinette couldn't help but feel concerned.

" _Adrien? Is everything alright?"_ That seemed to snap him out of his thought process. He blinks rapidly before addressing her.

" _Sorry! Yes, everything's fine… Fu contacted me last night, he'll be back tomorrow to switch us back."_

Well that was certainly some good news. Only, Adrien's face was showing mixed emotions… He should be extremely excited about it, so why did it appear that wasn't the case?

Before she could ask, his demeanor changed as he suggested that they just have fun together today. Not that they hadn't done that for the last few days, but Marinette decided her questions could wait until later tonight, it might be better for that then.

…

The evening came quickly for the two, it had been Alix's turn to come over and she had just left a few moments before. During the day, Marinette couldn't help but notice Adrien's happy expression ever so slowly fade away. It was clear that she should have confronted him about this earlier. She was now watching him slightly pacing back and forth. There's no point of waiting anymore to talk to him about it. Taking a deep breath, she pounces in the place right where Adrien was about to walk, startling him in the process. Just as he is about to speak, Marinette cuts him off.

" _Adrien, I can tell something's wrong. You don't have to hide it from me and I'm here for you. Please, just tell me what's on your mind."_ Her voice is calming and sincere as she speaks. Adrien stares at her wide-eyed for a moment before bowing his head in defeat, ears drooping as he looks back up to her.

" _It… it's not that I'm unhappy that we are going to be changed back, it's the opposite… but… after this is over, we won't see each other as much…"_

His words caused the same realization to run through her. After tomorrow, he won't be a daily part of her life. He has a home, a family who has been searching for him desperately since his disappearance. Marinette won't come back to the apartment to find him lounging around waiting for her. They won't be able to just sit and talk for hours on end about anything and everything. She snaps herself out of her daze as she comes to another realization.

" _It's not like we won't see each other… I do work for your father after all."_ For some reason, her words only caused his ear to droop even more, a hint of loneliness in his voice as he replies.

" _You don't know my father like I do… Who's to say that he won't keep an even more watchful eye on me than before. He could be even worse than when my mother disappeared…"_

Marinette listened as he began to explain what his life had been like now for over ten years. A reclusive father spending less and less time with his son. Adrien's constant attempts to attend public school, one in which had somewhat led to their meeting. Even as an adult, his father had dictated where and what to study. All leading to a terrible fight on the night that Adrien had gotten cursed. With every detail, Marinette's heart broke more and more for him. Yet she was still amazed that even through all the loneliness he has experienced, he is still kind and cheerful. Her respect for him only grew.

He was expressing his worries to her, his fears. He loved spending time with her, not knowing she felt the same. He didn't want to lose this closeness they had. And she knew she didn't want to lose it either.

He stopped speaking when Marinette came closer, rubbing her cheek against his while slightly purring. His heart was racing as she pulled back, seriousness in her eyes.

" _I won't let you be alone, not if I have any say about it. If something like that does happen, I will do everything I can to spend time with you."_

He just stood there frozen, mouth slightly agape as he stared at her. This in turn caused Marinette to become flustered as she realized what she had said.

" _I… I mean, t-that doesn't have to h-happen that way! You are your own p-person after all. That's meant I what. Wait no! What I meant… that's… that's what I meant to say…"_

As she continues to stammer, he can't help but chuckle, causing her in turn to stop in confusion. He gains control again quickly and looks at her again.

" _Thank you, I guess I can say that I will do what I can as well."_

There is silence between them for a few moments, not an awkward one, but a comforting, heart-warming feeling that is spread between the two. It is then that Adrien suggests that they call it a night, since they don't know exactly how them being changed back will work tomorrow. They nestle up to each other tonight, and Adrien falls asleep rather quickly. Marinette on the other hand, just lays there awake.

Her mind keeps going back to the conversation they had had just a few minutes before. It felt surreal because she had spoken from the heart, and it appeared that he did as well.

She had brushed off her feelings for a while, thinking it nothing more that the remnants of her 'teenage crush' years. Only with time did it show what was really happening. She loved spending time with him, it didn't matter if they were doing something or just talking, just being with him was enough… He was now a light in her life, and his worried words from earlier had affected her more than she originally thought. Soon enough she'll be returning to an empty apartment. Sure, it had happened in the past, but this time it meant more. She wouldn't have his constant comforting presence, wouldn't have someone to talk to even if for a while it had been somewhat one-sided. This only made her more determined to stay true to her words. She didn't care if Gabriel got in the way, it would hurt too much to not spend time with Adrien, with her sweet Chat Noir.

She soon felt exhaustion sweep over her. She snuggled into Adrien more before dozing off.

…

They were woken up in the morning by a knock at the door. Puzzled, they made their way to the main room only to have the door open on its own, revealing a rather cheerful Fu. He looked from Adrien to Marinette with a strange gleam in his eye.

"Good morning you two, I think it is time to give you both your real bodies back."

 ***boop***

 **Everyone remember the Adrien fluff chapter before everything went crazy? Well, this was a sort of continuation with Marinette's feelings this time. It's funny though, because some of this was pulled from my heart rather than my head. If you have someone dear to you, you'll know what I mean by that.**

 **So, next chapter should be a fun one. It's been another of the ones that has been planned since the beginning. I'm actually going to be going on a writing spree while I can since I am moving out of my current place and into a new one on separate days this next week. Does anyone else agree that packing and moving sucks? Don't worry though, chapter will still come out on schedule.**

 **Well I think I've rambled enough for now. As always, a big thank you to all you lovely readers. Your reviews always bring me joy and I make it a goal to continue to deliver for you guys.**

 **Lots of love to you all!**

 **~Imperial**


	24. Chapter 24

**(A/N) Sooooo I feel like I misled some of you last chapter, I clarified it with some but the other reviews saying it were guests and I can't reply to them. Just because they are being changed back, doesn't mean that the series is ending just yet, and it also doesn't mean the end of their cat forms, remember how Alya can become a fox still? So we can still do some cute cat scenes. I still have plenty of things to do, loose ends to tie up, you know what I mean? Rest assured, this series isn't ending for a while longer.**

 **With that cleared up and out of the way, I hope you're ready for a rather interesting chapter!**

 ***boop***

"The process is rather simple, but there are certain things I must go over before we begin." Fu spoke calmly as he stared at the two in front of him. Furniture in the main area had been moved by magic, which had been somewhat unsettling for Adrien and Marinette, and now they all stood in the open area. Fu stroked his chin thoughtfully for a moment, staring around the room before nodding and waving his hand towards one of the walls. A door appeared next to the one leading to Marinette's sewing room. Satisfied, he turns back to the two.

"Both of you will need a few days to recuperate. You will feel no pain as you change back, but you will experience that pain slowly over the course of the next few days. That door will be Adrien's quarters until he is ready to make his appearance back into society."

These words cause Adrien's ears to perk up in happiness. It somewhat relieves him that he wouldn't have to leave straight away. A few days to rest and adjust will certainly help.

"To answer your unasked question Marinette. I have not altered the structure of the building in any way. What you see is what is commonly known as a 'Pocket Room.' It exists in a mirror dimension that holds no effects to the real world. Once the room has fulfilled its purpose, it will vanish as if never there."

Marinette simply nods at his words. All of these different demonstrations and explanations of magic were almost overwhelming. Sure, they both knew that magic existed now, but knowing about it and seeing it constantly are two very separate things.

Fu then proceeds to the kitchen. Pulling a small pouch out of his pocket, he begins to make what appears to be tea. After a few minutes, the freshly brewed tea sits steaming in two separate cups.

"You both will have to drink this after your reversals are complete. It will help take the edge off the pain and will allow your body to attune properly. Now, I believe we may proceed." Out of thin air, two large, dark blankets appear in his hands, he sets one on the ground beside him before turning to Marinette, "Well my dear, we shall begin with you. Yours will not take as long due to you not being transformed nearly as long. Now you must stay perfectly still for this to work."

As Fu unfolds the blanket, Marinette sits down and looks at Adrien. There is a light in her eyes that he can only describe to be hopeful. She nods to him before allowing Fu to cover her completely with the blanket. It appears that she centered under the middle of the blanket as she sat there immovable. Fu turns to look at Adrien, offering a quick smile before turning back to her.

His voice was quiet to start, but filled with power. The room hums as he goes on. Adrien's eyes are fixed onto the blanket as Fu continued chanting. Nothing happens to Marinette for several moments, until Fu's voice starts to slowly become louder. It starts as a subtle shift, one that Adrien almost misses. He watches as the small mound under the blanket that is Marinette gets larger. The only sounds are Fu's chanting and the growing hum of the room. The shifting starts to slow down, one of the ends of the blanket starts to slide backwards.

Marinette breathes in sharply as her head come out from the blanket. And Adrien's heart starts to race at the sight of her.

Her dark hair is falling into her face, disheveled from the numerous days trapped in the other form. Her bright blue eyes shine through the multiple strands of hair. She is breathing deeply, as if she had been holding her breath during the transformation. She shakily brings out a hand, chuckling at the sight of it as she does so, before wrapping the blanket more securely around her. She looks up at Fu when he puts a hand on her shoulder.

"Welcome back Marinette, I do hope that wasn't too uncomfortable for you." Marinette smiles up at Fu as he speaks. Her voice is hoarse as she replies.

"It's good to be back, but I think it's Adrien's turn now." She turns her head to look at Adrien, the slightest tinge of pink resting on her cheeks as she notices his expression.

"Of course, but first," He grabs one of the cups of tea, offering it to Marinette with a knowing gleam in his eyes, "I recommend you begin to drink my dear, the pain will set in soon."

Marinette adjusts the blanket before reaching out a hand from underneath. It only then occurs to Adrien the current state of dress she is in. It isn't that he saw anything, but when they had both transformed in the first place, their clothes were left behind. Marinette of course isn't looking towards him now when he had just realized that. Focused on the tea in her hands, she takes a sip, sighing in apparent approval of the taste.

"Now I believe you have waited long enough Adrien. Are you ready to begin?" Adrien only realizes he had been staring at Marinette when Fu addresses him. He looks up to Fu who is in turn smiling down back at him, the other large blanket in hand. He can't help but feel nervous about what is going to happen, what if it didn't turn out working properly? Turning his head back to Marinette, he is rewarded with a heartwarming smile. It was enough to calm his nerves to the point to nod at Fu.

Adrien sat there patiently, unmoving as the blanket is draped over him, concealing him in darkness. He can hear Fu beginning the strange chat, the same words being repeated as they had been with Marinette. He closes his eyes and just listens, waiting for the change to begin. A few minutes pass with nothing happening, causing Adrien to worry more. He continues to remind himself that Fu said it would take longer than Marinette's had due to him being transformed longer, but it didn't stop the doubt that was slowly building. He was close to listening to those doubts when he felt it…

It felt like something unlocking deep inside of him.

From then on it felt strange. The painful transformation into this form had been completely different. When he was first changed, he felt everything changing, muscles and bones shifting and shrinking, that was probably the worst pain he had ever been in. This on the other hand… felt nice in a way… As he felt himself growing, in a way it felt like everything was being set right. He understood why Marinette had held her breath during hers, he was doing so now. The changes begin to slow, and Adrien opens his eyes.

He was still under the blanket, he grabs at one of the ends to pull it back. It almost startles him to see his hands, to see his _human_ hands. He touches his face, laughing as he did so out of joy.

"It appears it was successful for both of you." Adrien lifts his head to look at Fu, a smile on the old man's face as he offers him an identical cup of tea that he had given Marinette a few minutes before. He gratefully accepts it, enjoying the warm, calming tea. It only then occurs to him that Marinette is still here, and he was now extremely curious of her reaction. He can't help but gape when he finds her asleep. A peaceful look on her face as she sleeps on the floor, still wrapped up in the blanket. Adrien looks at Fu for an explanation, and it appears he was expecting that.

"The mixture of exhaustion from the transformation mixed with some of the herbs in the tea caused her to fall asleep a few minutes before you were done. She really did try to stay awake if you were wondering. As soon as both of you are in deep sleep I will transport you to your respective rooms. As for now I will leave you to finish that." With those words, Fu leaves the room, leaving a wide-eyed Adrien staring. He just sat there and thought as he continues to drink his tea, slowly feeling the drowsiness settle in. He places the cup a safe distance away before turning back to Marinette. A strand of hair has fallen in front of her face. He cautiously reaches his hand out to brush it away, her head nuzzles into his hand in response. This in turn causes him to smile before leaning down and placing a kiss on her forehead, earning a smile from the currently asleep Marinette. It is then when the exhaustion fully hits him, and he falls asleep curled up next to her on the floor.

 ***boop***

 **And there you have it. I know a good amount of you won't be happy about Marinette not being awake when Adrien's transformation was complete. My only response is… you'll just have to wait and see what I have planned.**

 **One of the guest viewers asked a question pertaining to chapter 11, so I will answer it right now. The white rose commonly symbolizes purity, innocence, and so on.**

 **It really does make me happy to see so many of you enjoying this. It made me smile to see a good number of new faces leaving such lovely reviews. Hope you're all ready for what I have coming!**

 **Lots of love to you all!**

 **~Imperial**


	25. Chapter 25

**(A/N) Well hello again everyone! Quick announcement before we begin. School is starting up again for me this next week so there may be times a chapter isn't posted, not that I won't try, but I can't promise to always be on time with my senior level college courses.**

 **With that out of the way, I must tell you all that this chapter might not be what you're expecting, but you'll see soon enough by what I mean by that.**

 ***boop***

The first time she wakes up, all Marinette can feel is pain. She is only half awake but she can easily feel the terrible ache ebbing out of her. It is to the point that she could easily say that she felt it even in her bones. She can hear the muddled voices around her, her eyes feel too heavy to open to see who is talking. A pair of gentle hands lift her gently to a seating position and bring something to her mouth. The taste of familiar herbs hit her tongue as a voice is coaxing her to drink. The voice is clearly feminine, that much she can tell, and Marinette is laid back down carefully. It wasn't much longer after that when she fell asleep again.

There was slightly less pain the next time she came to, but only so. She was barely able to open her eyes to look around her. Her vision is hazy but she can easily tell that she was in her room. The voice from earlier returns, accompanied by another female voice, but she still could barely understand what they were saying. Marinette slowly looks in the direction of the voices.

She can make out two women through her bleary vision, the taller of the two made their way closer just enough for Marinette to see the familiar bespectacled woman.

Alya smiles down at her bedridden friend, concern still present on her features.

"Mari…are you… we... anything?"

Marinette sincerely tries to hear her friend, but some of the words were muddled and thus, incomprehensible. The confusion on her face must have been obvious to Alya, who shakes her head before looking over to the other side of the bed. She tries to follow her friends gaze, but even the slightest head movement was appearing to be troublesome.

"… heal more… twelve…tea… her up."

She is still trying to understand Alya's words when her head is lifted slowly. She whimpers slightly at the abrupt sharpness of pain, causing Alya to grimace and finish lifting her slower. A hand from the unseen person brings a cup to her mouth and Marinette drank the same brew she had had for the third time now. As she is lowered, she can somewhat make out the unseen person humming a rather familiar song, a song that helped her fall asleep as a child. Even with her spotty hearing, she let the voice's song help her dive into peaceful sleep.

…

Sunlight is streaming onto her face when she awakens for a third time. When she opens her eyes, it is much easier and everything is much clearer. The pain also appears to have gone extremely down as she is able to lift her head on her own. Lifting an arm, she can see she is wearing an all too familiar pair of pajamas. She hears the door open, she looks up to see Alya entering the room with a somewhat relieved smile on her face.

"You look a million times better girl. How are you feeling?"

It causes Marinette to smile as she hears Alya speak clearly. When she replies it comes out scratchy and still hoarse.

"I feel a million times better. Although I think Fu lied about the pain level." This causes Alya to laugh loudly with a knowing smile on her face.

"Yeah, he tends to _underexaggerate_ the pain. I had a few choice words with him after it was all done. Do you think you could handle getting up for a bath?"

Marinette slowly moves different parts of her body, testing out her range of motion. It still hurts, but it was definitely manageable. She nods to Alya before being helped up and slowly making their way to the bathroom.

She can't help but sigh as she immerses in the warm water, the heat doing wonders for her aching muscles. After a few minutes, she calls out to Alya who is in the other room.

"How long was I out for?"

"About a day and a half, the effects of the tea Fu gave you last about twelve hours. Since you weren't changed as long, it didn't take as much time as usual to get you up on your feet. When I was recovering, I was stuck in bed for almost a whole week!"

Marinette's eyes widen in surprise for her friend's case. In the end though, it made sense. She had only been like that for about a week, while she had cared for 'fox Alya' for almost a month. Marinette speaks up again, her voice a little quieter this time.

"How's… how's Adrien doing?"

Alya chooses this moment to walk back into the bathroom, a pair of Marinette's clothing in hand as she places a towel next to her.

"He's still got a few days to go, he was transformed longer than I was, so I'd give it about a week." She gives Marinette a mischievous look, causing her face to turn red, "Unless of course he pushes himself to get better sooner so he can see a certain _someone_."

This causes Marinette to start stammering, in turn causing Alya to burst out laughing at her shy friend. After a few minutes, Alya left Marinette alone to enjoy the rest of her bath. Awhile later she got out and dried off, putting on the clothes that had been brought out. As she left the bathroom, Alya was waiting her, ready to explain a few more things.

"Adrien is in good care if you're worried. Nino has been helping Fu in making sure he isn't in too much pain. Basically, they're doing what I did for you until he's ready to get up."

A part of her had been worried about that, but for the most part she was wondering more about something else. She voices her question as they slowly make their way to the main room.

"Wait, you had some help too Alya. Who was helping you out when I…" Her voice trails off as she sees the person in her kitchen. Sabine Dupain-Cheng is going around her daughter's kitchen preparing some sort of meal before she looks up and smiles at the two.

"It's good to see you up and moving dear. It sounds like you had a rather interesting week." A knowing smile rests on her face as Marinette continues to gape at her more.

"Wait! You know about it?" Marinette stares in disbelief as her mother starts to laugh at her surprise.

"Well dear, you know Fu is an old family friend. And he was very nice to inform us why you wouldn't be contacting us for about a week. I just wish your father and I could have come to see it in person."

"Don't worry Mrs. Dupain-Cheng. The rest of us got plenty of pictures and videos that we can easily share with you." Marinette simply stares at Alya after she says this with a look of utter betrayal. Only causing Alya and Sabine to laugh even harder. Throughout the rest of the day, Marinette's face only gets redder and redder at all the details that are shared among them all.

…

Three days later, Marinette is given the all clear to go back to work. Fu even casts a small glamour on her of sorts to make it seem like she was still recovering from her 'terrible illness' that had made her bedridden for over a week. Needless to say, she was in a way relieved to go back after slowly getting more and more stressed as the days had gone by since she had been turned back.

Plenty of people happily and rather excitedly welcome her back, even the few that she didn't exactly get along with are somewhat relieved to see her alive and somewhat well. A few comment on her appearance, giving her a better idea of what they see versus what she sees since the glamour is only for their eyes. She isn't surprised when she is called to meet with Gabriel himself. The quick conversation about her health is followed by details for the next line that they had been working on before she became sick. In a way, it helped that she had that extra days at home, she was able to present Gabriel with a few new sketches she had done in her boredom the day before, not that he knew that of course.

After the rather satisfying meeting, Marinette makes her way back to her office to continue work. Unfortunately for her, she is unable to focus due to her thinking about Adrien. She had yet to see him… When she had tried the day before, she had been blocked by a red-faced Nino. Apparently, they had yet to dress Adrien, which would have caused a rather awkward situation. Even then, it was like they didn't want her to see him just yet. Which frankly, annoyed her extremely. She comes to the decision that maybe they would let her see him tonight after she gets home, but there is that bit of doubt in the back of her mind. Soon enough, she snaps herself out of it to get at least some of the work done.

…

A few hours later, Marinette is walking back to her apartment. After she had told herself to focus she was able to almost catch up on a lot of the work she had missed in the last week. That meant that by the end of work tomorrow, she can pretty much be caught up if there are no distractions. While she is walking, she remembers she had shut off her phone earlier to avoid distracting herself at work. Marinette stops briefly and pulls out her phone to turn it on before continuing. When the apartment is in sight she checks again to see that she had gotten a text from Alya right as she had gotten off of work. She reads the text from Alya, and her body freezes up.

 _(Alya): Cat-boy is awake and moving, just thought I would let you know ;)_

Marinette's heart begins to race as she reads the sentence over and over again. Her legs move on their own and she soon finds herself sprinting the rest of the way to the building. She runs past Alya who was waiting for her in the front, much to the girl's amusement, before racing up one of the stairwells, almost tripping at one point. Her mind is a blur as she runs down the hallway, blindly trying to grab for her keys before reaching the door. She only stands still unlocking the door, panting as she opens it before walking briskly into the room. He isn't in the main area, and her eyes quickly flash over to his door. She walks over, an ecstatic Alya filming everything from the front door. Marinette opens the door quickly.

Only to run into someone…

She freezes for a moment, completely caught off guard, she looks up to apologize.

And a concerned blue meets a loving green…

 ***boop***

 **Another chapter done! Hope you all enjoyed it as much as I did writing it.**

 **I don't know why I am happy about this but I am. Someone commented about the *boops* that I do. The story behind why I do that is that I wanted something to start and end these chapters (and for some reason I couldn't get the fancy line thing to work when I tried) so the boops were born, and I always love doing them so thank you unnamed guest for mentioning them in your review!**

 **I've said it before and I'll say it again, moving sucks. At least I'm in my new place. The only issue is that I won't have internet until the day this is released due to that being the 'official move-in day' according to the landlord. I was actually able to get this all typed up faster than normal to my utter boredom…**

 **As always lovely readers, thank you all for the support this story has been getting. Still got plenty planned for it and I can't wait for you all to see!**

 **Lots of love to you all!**

 **~Imperial**


	26. Chapter 26

**(A/N) Well I'm currently in my first week back in college, pretty sure a good amount of you noticed I released this later than usual. As of today, I will be releasing the chapters somewhat around this time due to there being classes during my usual time.**

 **I've noticed a lot of you guys basically saying I'm evil for these cliffhangers, but I don't know how well it would go over if everything was expected. I had a feeling a lot of you would be rather… you know… after the end of the last chapter. But I think it was the perfect way to give you all the chapter you are about to read.**

 ***boop***

Adrien was somewhat grateful for being under most of the time the last couple of days. The amount of pain he had been in whenever he woke up was immeasurable compared to when he was first cursed. Overall though, he was at least happy to now be back on his own two feet. He was still sore of course, but it had gone down since he had woken up a few hours ago. It really had helped that he was able to take a shower, the hot water had been the thing to bring down the ache significantly.

He couldn't help but feel sad that Marinette wasn't there when he woke up. He can't blame her though, she hasn't been to work in over a week, and it wasn't like there was a specific day that they knew he would get better. He had met her mother though, well by that he meant not as a cat. She had been kind to him when he had exited his room for the first time, answering all of his questions as well as making him something to eat. That had been a few hours ago, and he now lay on the bed in his 'pocket' bedroom. It was a pretty normal room by any means, nothing magical about it standing out.

As he lay there, staring at the ceiling, he really couldn't help but be bored. He had been left alone in the apartment with nothing to do but wait. Sure, there were things he could do, but nothing really interested him at the moment. All he could really do was let himself be lost in thought.

Adrien doesn't know how long he is like this, only that the sound of the front door opening rapidly was loud enough to cause him to jump to his feet. He winces as the brief, sharp pain that occurs from getting up too quickly, before making his way over to the door. He is reaching for the handle when it is opened abruptly.

And someone bumps right into him…

It's not enough to throw him off balance, only enough to startle him. His instincts cause him to gently grab the person's arms. He looks down to see a familiar head of dark hair, causing a smile to spread across his face.

His heart speeds up when Marinette looks up at him, eyes meeting and freezing the both of them in place. Their cheeks sporting an identical pink tinge that deepened slightly. He couldn't help but notice that she was breathing rapidly, had she run all the way here?

All he knew now is that all they had been doing for about a minute now was just stare at each other. Adrien slowly lets a small smile appear on his face before he whispers to her.

"Hey Mari."

Marinette blinks, before she smiles in return and whispers back.

"Hello Adrien."

…

The following evening found Adrien rather excited for Marinette to get back from work. He checks everything again to make sure everything is in order. He _hopes_ that she'll like this, he had asked her mother for advice as well as help with his plans, but he still couldn't help but worry. He did feel like he was missing something, but everything seemed to be in order when he checked. Maybe it was just nervousness. The sound of keys unlocking the door cause Adrien's eyes to widen and he straightens abruptly.

The surprise on Marinette's face is obvious as she enters the dimly lit room. Soft music playing in the background with Adrien standing by a nicely set table.

"What… what's all this?" There is a hint on confusion in her voice as she stares at him. For some reason, he couldn't help but feel flustered as he replied.

"I… well you see… I thought maybe before you know, I have to go back… We… we could have a sort of d-date…" He rubbed the back of his neck with his hand as he spoke, his face slowly becoming red as he continued. Marinette's mouth parted slightly, a blush appearing on her cheeks as well before she giggles.

"I don't mind that, but I'll need five minutes to put my stuff away if that's alright."

Adrien nods, and Marinette quickly makes her way into her bedroom. A few minutes later she returns, Adrien pulling out her seat for her before they begin their meal.

As they eat, the chat about various topics. They never seem to run out of things to talk about when they are together, even with all the time they spent together for about a week. For some reason, their conversation became about dancing. And somehow, they soon found themselves standing in the middle of the room.

"I really don't know about this… You know how clumsy I am, and I'd hate to just be stepping on your feet the whole time." Marinette rubs at her arm self-consciously, unsure about how Adrien had talked her into this in the first place. Adrien puts a hand on her shoulder, causing her to look up to him.

"I told you already I don't mind, just dance with me, please." His eyes are filled with warmth, enough so that her hand moves to lock with the one he has stretched out to her. A new song starts, and they begin to slowly move.

"Don't look at your feet, just focus on me." Marinette knew she wouldn't be able to disobey his words. Adrien's eyes were locked with hers as they continue to move around the room. There is idle chatter here and there, but it soon is filled with silence again as they focus on the music, the steps, and each other.

As the music swells, they get a little bolder. A few spins completed with surprising ease as they return to the normal steps.

"I never did truly thank you for caring for me for over a month. I feel like I can never fully repay you for all you did." Marinette shakes her head at his words, her response was sincere and spoke what she truly felt.

"You don't have to, it's not like you would have if I hadn't found out about all of this in the first place."

"I would have found a way," He winks, causing her to giggle before his voice becomes somewhat playful, "There really must be something that I can to make it up to you." She decides to return his playful banter. Pretending to think for a minute, she smirks as she looks up to him again.

"You know, I wouldn't say no to another date. Especially how this one is going so well." This earns a laugh from Adrien, who then proceeds to give her a cat-like grin.

"Thank can most definitely be arranged, plus quite a few more on top of that." They both begin to laugh again and the music starts to die down. They slow to a stop and just stand there in each other's arms. Their hearts are racing as they stare at each other. Adrien is the first to move, bringing a hand to her face, gently rubbing his thumb on her cheek. When she doesn't push him away or tell him no, he takes that as an agreeance to his unasked question. Slowly, their head move closer together. They feel each other's breath as their lips are centimeters apart. He cautiously moves to close the rest of the distance, hearing the sound of her breathing hitch as…

"Girl, you would not believe the day I had!"

The sound of the door opening and Alya's shouting is enough for them to jump away from each other. The both turned their heads to see Alya with a mixture of surprise and excitement across her face, as well as a face-palming Nino standing behind her. Nino offers a quick apology before practically dragging Alya away and closing the door.

Adrien and Marinette stare at the door for a few moments, somewhat confused on what exactly just happened. As they looked at each other they both burst out laughing at the strangeness of that situation. It was clear to Adrien now on what he had forgotten, he forgot to tell Nino and Alya of tonight's plans. As their laughter died down, they looked at each other again, stray giggles popping up here and there. Adrien doesn't know how to react when Marinette closes the distance between them again, and grabbing his shoulders.

He feels warmth on his cheek for a brief second.

It takes a moment for him to realize she has just kissed his cheek. Warmth spreads to the rest of his face as he blushes, eyes never leaving the girl in front of him.

"Thank you for tonight, I really had a lot of fun." Her bashful smile turns to a playful one as she continues, "Maybe we can do something like this again, does that sound good to you kitty?"

His heart leaps at the sound of her using his old nickname, a sly grin appearing on his face as he grabs her hand, placing a kiss on it.

"Of course, my Purrincess."

 ***boop***

 **Ok… remember what I said earlier? I can kind of agree more now about how I am evil… But a real kiss is coming soon!**

 **This was just a sort of fun little chapter for me to write while I'm adjusting to school again, we will be continuing with main plot next week, so that should be fun.**

 **Thoughts? Opinions? Ideas? I always love to hear them! Feel free to leave them in a review or even PM me on here, I love chatting with you guys.**

 **As always, I'll see you guys next week!**

 **Lots of love to you all!**

 **~Imperial**


	27. Chapter 27

**(A/N) So I know last week I said I would be posting at a different time… but I don't like it so I'm trying something this week and hopefully it works. If it doesn't you can blame it on me trying to post it from my phone…**

 **I hope you're all ready for Adrien to be brought back into society today, not until near the end of the chapter of course but I hope you all will like it.**

 ***boop***

The next day, Fu returned just after Marinette and Adrien had eaten breakfast. They both sat on the couch as Fu stood in front of them. They had a guess for why he was there, and it was clear very soon that their guess was correct.

"Well Adrien, I believe you have been missing for long enough. Today is the day that you return to society."

Adrien couldn't help but feel conflicted at this. He was ready to return, but at the same time he could help but feel worried about it. He cleared his throat before asking Fu his question.

"So, how will this work? Am I just going to walk out of here and wait until people recognize me?" Fu's eyes gleamed in amusement at Adrien's words. He shook his head as he spoke.

"As interesting as that would turn out, that is most definitely not the case. We wouldn't want anyone suspecting any of the people in this building." Seeing that he had their full attention, Fu continued on, "You must be introduced back in as if you were captured by the Akuma gang as various news stations suggested. The story will be that they kidnapped you, trying to get anything they could out of you such as money and resources. Your adamant refusals will be shown in glamour 'injuries' I will place on you, which means you will be spending a few days in a hospital so that you might recover. Nino will be the one to 'find' you in that state."

"Wait, why can't Marinette find me?" Adrien felt Marinette place her hand on his, she gave it a comforting squeeze. He doesn't mind that it's someone that he knows that will find him, but he really wouldn't mind if it was her to do so. Fu nods, understood his meaning behind it.

"That is due to some people in society. While most won't see it as anything, others might be suspicious about it. Some might think that Marinette had a hand in your disappearance due to her working for you father. Alya is under the same conditions due to her being one of the reporters covering your story. That is why Nino is the best choice under this situation."

It really did make the most sense, it would have caused some unwanted attention for either Marinette or Alya. Marinette and Adrien watched as Fu waved his hand, a pile of clothing appeared from thin air. It still felt weird to see him do that, but Adrien couldn't help but recognize the clothing.

"It only makes sense for you to appear in the clothing you disappeared in. There are a few tears and holes in them to make it all the more believable. I will make sure to…"

Fu's sentence is cut off abruptly as he snapped his head up. Eyes wide and staring at something unseen. Adrien and Marinette were unsure of what to do as Fu stays still, unmoving as he continued to stare off into the distance. It lasts for a few more seconds before he speaks again, words confusing to the other two.

"So… she did trigger it after all." Fu looked at the other two, offered an apologetic smile before speaking again. "I apologize if I startled you two, it appears that a large nuisance has fallen for the trap I laid for them during our encounter. Once I have taken care of you Adrien, I will have to go and collect her to face judgment. I must warn you both, that I may have to call upon you in a few weeks' time. Now let us get back to this."

It was then that Fu ushered Adrien into his 'pocket' room, handing him the clothes before he exited. After he put on the clothes, he looked at himself in the mirror to see the results.

His father would be appalled to see his son in this outfit. Large tears were clearly visible all around the t-shirt, an especially large cut was sliced across the back. The pants were far better off with only a few holes here and there. His jacket he decided to leave behind, it wasn't as torn as the shirt and would have looked out of place. It only occurred to him then that Fu hadn't given him his shoes, or socks for that matter… Adrien thought that maybe it will add to the effect of his overall appearance. He exited the room to find a wide-eyed Marinette who took in his appearance, and Fu nowhere to be seen.

"He wanted to give us a few minutes to say goodbye, well I mean for now it's not like we won't see each other again but…" Marinette continued to ramble on, which caused Adrien to smile at her. He stepped forward, placing a hand on her shoulder. She looked up at him, completely speechless as he pulled her into a hug.

"Sounds good to me, I did want at _least_ a little more time with you before not seeing you for who knows how long." His voice is quiet, but still loud enough for her to hear it. She hummed in agreeance before she nestled more into the hug. A few moments later, they pulled away, still holding onto each other. Adrien is the first one to speak in the silence.

"Well, I look furward to seeing you again." His smile widened as a deadpan expression appeared across her face.

"Really Adrien?"

"What? Does my Purrincess not enjoy my clawver amewsment?"

She just continued to stare at him, an eyebrow raised at his previous sentence.

"You're impossible."

"You mean impawsible Purrincess, mewbe I should purrsuade mew to join me in this meowvelous fun. The pawsibilities are endless when mew…"

He is interrupted when his head is brought down.

And her lips brush against his…

It was a short kiss, but it had been enough to shut him up in surprise. Marinette had clearly had enough of his puns and stopped him the first way that had come to her mind. She now looked at him with a victorious smirk as his mouth parted slightly in surprise.

"Well, I think I win this time kitty." The wink she gave him was enough to bring color to his face.

It was then that Fu entered the room, unknowing of what had just occurred between the two. Adrien and Marinette said their final goodbyes before Fu gently grabbed Adrien's arm, and they were no longer in Marinette's apartment.

Adrien blinked and found himself and Fu in a random alleyway. He wasn't exactly sure where they were currently, but if he exited to the street he could find out rather quickly.

"There is a barrier around this place until it is time for Nino to come find you. This alley is also connected to many others, making it impossible for an accurate investigation to take place." Adrien simply nodded at Fu's words. He really had thought of everything to make this as perfect as possible. His attention turned back to Fu as he continued. "Let us begin with the glamour, all of the injuries that will appear on your body are superficial. You will feel no pain and they will fade as normal injuries do."

Fu waved his hand over Adrien's body, and the glamour started to appear. Various bruises and cuts spread across his body, including an almost healed gash that mirrored the back tear. Dirt appeared in random splotches and he ruffled his now greasy looking hair to add to the effect. Adrien couldn't see the final result, but Fu appeared to be satisfied, which was enough for him. Fu then proceeded to pull a small vial from his pocket, offering it to Adrien.

"One last final touch, it will help if you appear somewhat drowsy from what you have been through."

Adrien understood what he was saying. He took the vial and drank the contents, tasting the familiar brew that he had been drinking for the last week or so. With one final farewell, Fu disappeared into thin air. He quickly decided that he might as well get into position, sprawling himself on the ground as the drowsiness settled in.

…

Nino knew his instructions, as well as where he needed to go. He had received the signal to slowly make his way to the specified point at a leisurely pace. It worked out perfectly with his daily route as to not cause suspicion.

As he neared the point, he could see a couple staring confusedly down the alleyway, whispering to each other and looking around. He made his way up to the two, picking up the end of their conversation.

"… must be a homeless drunk or something, I mean who else would lay passed out in an alley like that?"

That was a good enough cue for him. Nino joined the conversation for a brief second, before he walked down the alley. He crouched down, putting on a mask of surprise as he turned his friend over. He snapped his head up and looked at the couple that were still standing there, eyes wide in shock and voice full of fear.

"Call an ambulance quick! This guy needs help!" Nino inwardly smiled as the man frantically pulled out their phone, while the woman looked on in surprise and somewhat guilt. He decided to add a little more to his performance and continued, this time speaking to the 'injured victim,' "Hey man can you hear me? Please don't be dead dude, we're getting you help."

Adrien chose that moment to crack an eye open, giving Nino a small smile. He whispered quietly enough for only him to hear.

"Hey Nino, do I still look good?" It was clear that he was joking around and Nino had to bite back laughter. Keeping his mask of concern in place, he whispered back.

"I've seen worse, although I guess it is a good thing Mari isn't here to see this, she might have not been able to take seeing you like this dude."

They couldn't continue their conversation for much longer, the couple chose to make their way over to try and help out. It was clear they recognized the missing model as the woman pulled out her phone, sending a flurry of messages to who knows. It isn't much longer that the ambulance arrived, followed by a crowd of curious bystanders. The last thing Adrien remembers before falling asleep is the door to the ambulance closing.

 ***boop***

 **Now we all know that after Fu and Adrien left, Marinette pretty much froze and had a full freak-out when she thinks about what she had just done. Not to mention Alya walking in on her in her frozen state.**

 **So, I saw something for this week and thought I should say at least something about it. I'm not going to name names but I noticed another author on here being rather spiteful and pretty much banning people from reviewing their work. I'm not gonna go into a full-blown rant here about how stupid that is (you can PM me if you want that) but I feel as though I should let you all know that I read and acknowledge all of your guys reviews. I might not reply to you some weeks due to scheduling, but I appreciate them all,** _ **including**_ **criticism. I take all of your opinions very seriously and try to improve as a result. Heck, I even did something with that for this chapter and for chapters to come.**

 **Now back to a happier topic, I wasn't gonna go into a full out make out session, that didn't exactly feel right you know? Also… now you can't hunt me down Burning Jasmine, I delivered as promised! ;)**

 **Well lovelies, I will see you all next week to see many people's reactions to our dear Adrien being back.**

 **Lots of love to you all!**

 **~Imperial**


	28. Chapter 28

**(A/N) You know… you all pass my expectations every single time I post a chapter. Less than an hour after I posted the last one, this story reached 300 reviews. I am amazed at the love for this story, words cannot express how thankful I am to all of you.**

 **Last chapter, a guest brought up a very good question about the believability and suspicion of Adrien's wounds. So here is my answer, they won't suspect anything when the first found him because he was extremely drowsy and out of it. They assume that he doesn't feel the pain due to that. Usually when one is take to a hospital with injuries, they are put on some sort of pain medication, and that bit will be explained very soon.**

 **One more thing, the doctor and two nurses are OC's, but their names are references to some book characters, the ones to guess it correctly will be my favorite people and will earn a shout out ;)**

 ***boop***

When Adrien had been put in the ambulance, he had let himself fall asleep. As he came to, he heard the sound of various medical machinery. He opened his eyes to be blinded briefly by the bright lights that lit his hospital room. He lifted his head to look at his body, it appeared they had removed his torn clothing and had put him in a hospital gown. Bandages adorned his arms in legs in various places and he felt the one tightly bound around his chest. He was hooked up to a heart monitor and an IV, but other than that nothing stood out.

He had been looking around his room for a few minutes when a doctor came in, a smile appeared on their face when seeing Adrien was awake.

"Hello there Adrien, how are you feeling?" Adrien paused for a moment, unsure how to respond. In the end, he decided to continue to act his part, smiling weakly at the short doctor.

"I've… I've been better. It helps that I don't feel the pain anymore."

He hadn't expected his doctor to laugh, he just stared at her wide-eyed until she finished.

"I'm sorry about that, I'm not laughing at you if that's what you're worried about. You definitely are believable I'll give you that, but you don't have to pretend around me." His mouth hung open as her eyes shone a dark purple for a brief second before turning back to their original blue tone, "I'm a friend of Fu if you're wondering, did you think that they would just give you to a doctor that didn't know the situation? We don't what to get you addicted to pain medication now would we? What's running through you IV is not actually entering your body."

He nodded silently, Fu really had thought of everything, hadn't he? The doctor seemed to ignore his amazement as she continued.

"My name is Dr. Cooper by the way, make sure to ask for me if you ever need anything your nurses can't provide. For things such as changing your 'pain medication' and other things like that, ask for Nurse Kel or Nurse Neal. They understand the situation as well and are sworn to secrecy. One should be in here in the next little while, but you'll meet both eventually. Now, do you have any questions for me?" Dr. Cooper continued on after Adrien shook his head in reply, "Good to hear, that means I can clear you for visitors, you appear to have one already so I'll let them know you're awake."

With that, Dr. Cooper left the room, leaving Adrien alone again. He laid there for a few minutes before one of the nurses came in. She introduced herself as Nurse Kel and started to ask him the 'basic questions' while checking his vitals and such. Just as she finished up, the door opened abruptly, and Adrien's eyes widened in surprise.

There in the doorway stood Gabriel Agreste, looking somewhat out of breath but still composed. After the nurse left the room, he strode over to Adrien's side.

And pulled him in a hug.

It was easy to say that Adrien was surprised by this, he wasn't expecting this display of affection since it had been somewhat nonexistent up to this point in his life. It took him a second to respond, gently bringing his arms up and hugging his father in return.

They didn't stay like that for too long, but after they pulled away Gabriel clasped his son's hand. Before either could speak, the door opened again to reveal a few police officers, clearly there to ask Adrien some questions. Gabriel lets go of Adrien's hand before grabbing a chair and placing it next to his son's bed. His face morphed into a serious glare, intent on making sure the officers don't push his son too much.

Adrien relayed his 'story' with ease. Answering all of the officer's questions with information that was perfectly believable. He couldn't help but smile inwardly at their annoyance of there being no leads to start on for the case, and they didn't suspect him in the slightest. When they had received all the details they needed, they left, leaving the two Agreste men alone.

Adrien enjoyed the next few hours, just talking with his father was helpful in more ways than one. Gabriel seemed to avoid more uncomfortable topics, making it seem like it was just a normal conversation. Soon enough it was the end of visitor hours, causing Gabriel to leave. As he opened the door, he turned his head partially.

"Adrien, I'm… I'm sorry about that night…" He could hear the sincerity in his father's voice, causing him to smile as he replied.

"I'm sorry too father, things definitely could have gone better."

He could see the slightest smile one Gabriel's face as he nodded and left the room.

…

He hadn't slept well that night, he had been tossing and turning all night. Something felt like it was missing and he couldn't pinpoint exactly what it was. Throughout the morning, he had become more acquainted with his doctor and nurses, learning fun little things about them in the process. It isn't long that Gabriel reappears in the doorway, though Adrien is confused of why he isn't entering the room.

"Nathalie sends her best wishes Adrien, she was unable to join me today due to certain circumstances." Adrien can't place it but he feels like his father is hiding something from him, "After our discussions yesterday I felt that you should become more acquainted with some others around your age." Gabriel moved out of the and it took every ounce of willpower for Adrien to not drop his jaw in surprise.

There standing behind Gabriel, was Marinette. She winked at him without his father noticing as he continued to speak.

"This is one of my top designers, Marinette Dupain-Cheng. Miss Dupain-Cheng, this is my son Adrien."

Marinette walked forward, she smiled and stretched out her hand as she reached his bed.

"It's nice to meet you Adrien." Another wink with a small smirk caused him to snap out of his daze. He smiled in return and shook her hand.

"It's nice to meet you as well, Miss Dupain-Cheng." He had to hold back laughter as he said this, and it seemed that Marinette was the same way.

"Marinette is just fine, you don't have to be formal with me."

"Very well, Marinette."

Gabriel couldn't see her face during the exchange, but he could see the way Adrien was staring at her. Memories from years ago began to play in his mind and he couldn't hide the subtlest of smiles. It was at that moment that his phone began to ring, which caused Adrien and Marinette to look in his direction.

"I apologize but I must take this, important details for the next line. I will let the two of you talk while I handle this." Gabriel was out of the room quickly, answering the phone as he closed the door behind him. Adrien and Marinette looked at each other before they burst out laughing. That goes on for about a minute before they get a hold of themselves. Adrien looked back up at her, a warm smile on his face.

"I didn't expect to see you so soon Mari." She returned his smile, and rested a hand on his head as she replied.

"It took me by surprise as well. You father pulled me aside as soon as I got to work and brought me here. He didn't really explain anything until we arrived."

Adrien raised an eyebrow at this, why had his father chose to bring Marinette specifically? Maybe he can get it out of him later. It was then that he noticed the tiniest hint of dark circles under her eyes, as well as overall exhaustion on her features.

"Are you alright? Did you get any sleep last night Mari?" Her eyes widen for a second before she giggles, shaking her head as she spoke.

"I couldn't fall asleep last night for some reason, when I did it wasn't for long and I still don't know why."

"Well, you aren't alone in that. I had a rough night as well."

Something clicked between the two, they had an idea behind it but felt they didn't have to say anything as they both began to blush.

By the time Gabriel returned ten minutes later, they had begun to talk about various topics. He hid a smile as he walked in on them enthusiastically were going on about a certain music artist they liked. He was reluctant to interrupt them, but that changed when he thought of something he would have to try later. He cleared his throat, alerting the other two to his presence, and announced that he and Marinette had to leave. Gabriel watched knowingly as Adrien stared after Marinette as she left the room. And now even more ideas began to appear in his mind.

 ***boop***

 **Of course Gabriel is going to try and get the two together ;) After the discussion he and Marinette had all those chapters ago why wouldn't he?**

 **Well lovely readers, I am calling on you all again. This time it's not for cute cat things…**

 **But for cute date things!**

 **Please either PM me or leave a review with your ideas and I will select a few. I love including you guys in this story so what better way. I will of course mention the lovely reviewer who leaves the idea in the chapters of course. I can't wait to hear what you guys come up with!**

 **As for the doctor and nurses thing, I'm gonna give one hint that wasn't in the chapter. Dr. Cooper's first name is Alanna, I'll leave you all to your guesses and I will explain the significance after someone gets it right.**

 **Until next time**

 **Lots of love to you all!**

 **~Imperial**


	29. Chapter 29

**(A/N) You all are just the sweetest people, all the love for this series is amazing.**

 **Now for our little guessing game, a few reviewers got it right. Crystalkit7, RowerLovesAstronomy, Yamina20, and finally, two unnamed Guests. You all guessed that they were characters from the amazing author Tamora Pierce. I won't go into it now, but at the Author Note at the end of this chapter I will explain why I chose those names.**

 **With that aside, let's begin the chapter!**

 ***boop***

Adrien was released from the hospital a few days later. During his time there, he didn't see too many people. News reporters had been banned from the premises as to 'not stress the recovering Agreste.' He even heard that Alya had been barred from entrance at one point. That little piece of information had caused him to inwardly chuckle. Whenever he had been alone during that time, the doctor and her nurses had been more than happy to spend time with him. He would have thought that they would have other patients, but they were quick to inform him they were privately assigned to him.

Other than that, his father was a daily occurrence. Some days it didn't last too long due to work, but they all were genuine. They would just talk, reconnecting over lost time while both agreeing to avoid the heavier topics for now. There had been a few times he had come alone, but the other there was usually one person with him.

Most of the time it had been Nathalie, who looked like loads of stress had suddenly been lifted when she had first laid eyes on him. His old bodyguard had come for one, quiet as always but a pleasant sight.

His father did bring Marinette with him one more time…

He had come up with some half-baked excuse of why he had brought her, but in all honesty Adrien didn't care. He was just happy to see her again in such a short period of time. While Gabriel had been in the room, they had engaged in polite conversation, easily not making it seem like they had spent a lot of time together beforehand. The few minutes he had left the room were filled with Marinette updating Adrien about everyone else, which he was grateful for.

Overall, his time in the hospital wasn't all that bad. But in the end, he was more than ready to leave. The press had not been tipped on when he was being released which made it an easy exit for him. Nathalie had been the one to pick him up, stating that his father was in an important meeting and would have been there if he could. After the last few days those words were more believable for Adrien.

He felt his heartbeat quicken slightly as they pulled up to the mansion. Even though it had felt like a prison most of his life, he couldn't help but feel happy seeing it again. Everything appeared just as he remembered it, even his room had remained untouched in his absence. He took everything in slowly, letting both good and bad memories wash over him. He stood in the middle of his room like that for a few minutes, eyes closed as various emotions came and went. When he finally opened his eyes, his mind was set and he left the room in search of Nathalie. She seemed understanding of where he wanted to go, but was confused by the little stop he wanted to make on the way.

…

The reception area of Agreste was abuzz when Adrien entered, a determined look on his face as he strode up to the front desk. He received surprised looks as he asked for a certain person's office location, as well as wide eyes as to what was in his hand. As he made his way towards the elevator, Nathalie smiled before pulling out her phone to send a message to Gabriel.

He fidgeted in the elevator, unsure of how this was all going to turn out, but hopeful overall. The door opened on the right level and he got out confidently. This area was still familiar to him, but it was different walking down it versus being carried in a carrier. When the hallway opened up to the main area, he ignored the stares and whispers he was receiving from various employees. His destination was in sight and he felt the smile slowly spread across his face.

Marinette was clearly engrossed in her work. So much so that she didn't notice him standing by the door of her office. It was after a few moments that he cleared his throat to get her attention. Her head snapped up in surprise, but her eyes softened when she saw who it was. Adrien made his way in cautiously, one had rubbing the back of his neck nervously while the other was suspiciously behind his back. She raised a brow at him, and that was enough to get him to speak.

"Hey… so I just wanted to say thank you for... accompanying my father a few times to visit me... It's nice to talk to people my age." He clearly was in character in case they had any eavesdroppers. She smiled at him, playing along with his ruse as she spoke.

"I'm glad to hear that, is there anything I can do for you Adrien?" He couldn't help but cheer inwardly as she led up perfectly to what he wanted to say next.

"Well you see, there is something you can do." He brought his arm around from behind him and her breath hitched for a moment.

It was a bouquet, one similar to what she had received just a few weeks from before. Only this one had a few different flowers in place of some of the more 'love' based ones. Similar to the first one, this one contained white Heathers, Gardenias and pink and light red Carnations. Although with this one, there were no roses mixed in, probably to avoid too much attention for now. Instead there were also a few lavender Heathers mixed in with the white ones. It was filled with as much meaning as the first one had.

"I would love to go on a date with you, if that's alright." Adrien's words caused a few squeals of excitement from behind him. It was definitely clear at this point there were people intently watching the exchange. They didn't see him wink at her as he handed the bouquet over. Marinette grabbed them, seeing the card attached to the ribbon wrapped around it she opened it to read a few familiar words.

 _For my Purrincess_

 _Love, Your Knight_

Any doubt she had felt about it actually being him who sent her the first one was immediately washed away with the note. She scanned the bouquet quickly, finding the also familiar single red tulip hidden in the middle. She looked back up at Adrien, seeing him anxiously waiting for a response as well as a few rather non-subtle urges from the eavesdropping coworkers pretending to be working. A smile appeared on her face, and Adrien's face lit up in return to her response.

"I would be more than happy to."

 ***boop***

 **Alright, successfully led into a date chapter, and now the fun begins. A lot of you guys suggested some pretty cute date ideas and I will try to implement as much of them as I can. As for the flower meanings, that was covered in a chapter quite a while back. If it is needed though, I will post another list in the notes of next chapter.**

 **And now for the explanation that I promised at the beginning. Back when I was a little middle schooler, I came across the author Tamora Pierce. Very soon I became enveloped in her worlds of magic and storytelling. I even bought my own (now very worn) copies and still read them to this day. Now you might be wondering why exactly I included this, well…**

 **She was my inspiration for writing…**

 **I started writing in high school (those stories are long gone never to be seen by the public xD). Her stories opened my imagination to my own stories I would form and mold in my head as I went through the day. The first ever idea of Cats and Curses was one that started taking shape a little over a year ago. So really, without Tamora Pierce's work, you might not have this story today…**

 **For those who have not read her works I highly recommend them. I can tell you that my favorite of all of them would be her book** **Squire** **in her 'Protector of the Small' Quartet. (That's where Kel and Neal's names came from ;D) I am more than happy to discuss them with you in detail.**

 **Well that's enough from me for now, see you lovelies next week!**

 **Lots of love to you all!**

 **~Imperial**


	30. Chapter 30

**(A/N) To think this story is now on chapter 30... I honestly had no idea it would go this long… but then again, this story has received so much love and support that it makes it easy to continue on.**

 **For those who don't know this from earlier on, I love that flowers have specific meanings. Ever since I learned it when I was in middle school, I couldn't get enough of the idea. So that's why they have made two appearances now, one can do so much with it and I love seeing it in other stories. (If you want to see the ones I did before, they are at the end of chapter 11.)**

 **Well onto the date chapter! This date was partially inspired by our lovely reviewer Yamina20, now let's get into it!**

 ***boop***

This was probably the eighth time Adrien checked his appearance in the mirror. No matter how many times he had told himself everything is fine, that doubting voice in the back of his head made him check again. He didn't know why he's acting like this, or why he's so stressed about it. He's just going to spend time with Marinette, something he's done a quite a lot, so he is baffled that his nerves are as they are. Then again, he is about to go on a _date_ with her.

He liked how they were doing this, Marinette had planned this date, and he gets to decide the next one. He didn't know what to expect for today, all she had told him was to dress casually. That is exactly what he did… well… as casually as one who has a fashion designer as a father could. Gabriel had been rather insistent on helping Adrien decide what to wear, which was nice as much as it was confusing. He couldn't help but chuckle at the fact that Gabriel seemed to be rather invested in the thought of the two together.

With one final glance into the mirror, he nodded at his reflection and left the room.

…

The distance to his destination was short enough that he could walk. Marinette had told him to meet her at her parent's bakery, stating that it would be easier to meet there since she had to pick up a few things apparently. As he walked, he couldn't help but smile at the nice weather today. The sun was up high with a few clouds dotting the sky. It really was just a perfect day.

His smile grew wider as the somewhat familiar bakery came into view. He had only been here once, and well… he was a cat then… At least now he can come here somewhat more regularly. He was almost to the door when he recognized Marinette as she stood inside, talking to someone over the counter. For a second he considered to sneak up on her, but then he remembered the door had a bell that would ring when opened. That plan was also foiled when Marinette turned around just in time to see him about to open the door. A smile shone brightly on her face as he entered the bakery, clearly as excited as she was for the afternoon. The person she had been talking to that was behind the counter was also a familiar face.

Mrs. Dupain-Cheng greeted Adrien from behind the counter before taking care of the customer that came in after him. Turning back to Marinette, he took in her appearance. She was currently in a rather familiar pink sundress, one that he had loved seeing her in a few weeks back. The memories of that day came flooding back to him, both the good and bad since that was also the day of 'The Incident.' Marinette caught on to his swift mood change and looked at him reassuringly.

He couldn't overlook the large bag strung over one of her shoulders, and a catlike grin appeared on his face as it clicked as to what they were going to do.

Marinette didn't have time to protest before Adrien grabbed the bag and set on his own shoulder. She scowled at him before resorting to a pout that he couldn't help but find adorable. He stepped back and opened the door with a slight bow, smiling cheekily as he did so. He held back a laugh as she rolled her eyes at him before exiting the building.

…

They joked with each other as they made their way to the all too familiar park. In a way, it made sense that they would have their official first date in the place where they first met all those years ago. Adrien couldn't help but feel giddy as they searched for a private spot to settle in. The park wasn't too busy which made finding a secluded area rather easy. They settled down quickly, and enjoyed each other's company.

Adrien easily let himself relax, today he didn't have to worry about any press or other things like that. Word had spread that he had asked one of his father's top designers out on a date, and most he could imagine would expect him to take her to a high-class restaurant or something along those lines. Well… all except Alya probably, but he knew that she wouldn't interrupt them today. This was something that he enjoyed more anyways, just time to spend with Marinette, doing something that they both enjoyed. Adrien couldn't help but feel happy that she had chosen to do this.

It had been almost an hour after they had gotten there, Adrien's stomach full of baked goods that he had willingly scarfed down, much to Marinette's amusement. He looked over at her as she was clearing away the food. An idea came to his mind, a bold idea, but an overall good one. He slowly inched his way closer to her, her attention not on him much to his joy. As she finished cleaning up he put his plan into action.

Before she could react, Adrien surprised her by laying his head down on her lap. Marinette's cheeks flushed pink briefly until he looked up at her expectantly.

"Adrien?"

Her confusion was cute he could easily say. With a serious face, he responded with words that caused her to blush even more.

"I want pets, Purrincess." He finished it off with a wink. It takes a moment for her to register his request, and once she does, laughter ensues.

"You are such a cat Adrien." She manages to wheeze out during the middle of her laughing fit.

"Well… I was one for a while, and so were you." He pouts jokingly, only making her laugh harder. He waits patiently until she is down to just giggling, but before he speaks, she obliges to his request.

Her hand weaves its way through his blond locks, causing him to smile as she continued. It almost felt as amazing as it had while he was a cat.

"You know, Fu never told us how to switch back and forth between forms." Marinette's words snapped him out of his bliss enough for him to hum in agreeance as she continued to speak, "I guess we can ask Alya if you want, that might be nice to do from time to time." Another hum caused her to smile even more. He doesn't know how long she continues this, only that it was long enough for him to doze off.

…

When he came to, his head was still in her lap. When Adrien looked up at her, it was clear that Marinette had shifted them ever so slightly so she could grab the sketchbook she had stashed in the bag just in case. She was sketching away, not realizing the man whose head was in her lap was staring up at her, smiling contently. He could spend all day like this, even now all he wanted to do was to fall back asleep.

He was about to do so when a drop of water hit his cheek…

Jolting just enough to shock Marinette, Adrien looks up to the sky to see the dark overcast. They looked at each other, both surprised that they hadn't noticed the change in weather just as a few more drops hit both of them. They scrambled to their feet as the rain began to come down, trying to figure out what to do since the weather forecast hadn't mentioned rain, which in turn meant Marinette hadn't packed an umbrella. Clearing everything up quickly, they decided their destination and quickly were on their way.

Very quickly the rain came down harder. Enough to the point they were dashing from point to point to get under coverings. It wasn't that they hated it though, in fact they were laughing. Making it somewhat of a game from getting from one spot to another, not minding they were getting drenched. They stopped briefly, both under the cover in front of a closed shop. They tried to catch their breath as various giggles and chuckles escaped their lips. When they looked at each other for just a moment, it was enough for Adrien to get closer and lean down, and for Marinette's eyes to slide shut.

It wasn't too long of a kiss, they still had a destination to get to of course, but it was enough for the spark between them to ignite even more. Warmth spread through their soaked bodies as their lips continued to meet. He caressed her face carefully as he pulled back, staring at her with such adoration. A similar gaze from her as they stared at each other on the empty street. Marinette's face changed to a more mischievous one as she stole one last peck before dashing off again. Adrien stood there for a second before chasing after her. As they reached her apartment, he grabbed her from behind and spun her around quickly, laughter erupting from both of them again.

For right now they knew they needed to get dried off, and later other little decisions would lead to Adrien and Marinette falling asleep on the couch as a movie played, cuddled up to each other with matching smiles.

 ***boop***

 **And the fluff returns! Once again, a big thank you to the reviewer who gave the suggestion. I actually had the picnic idea in mind, but them mentioning the rain helped get this chapter to where it is now.**

 **I think you all will like what I've got planned next, it's not another date chapter just yet, but it will still be good.**

 **I do have to be a bringer of bad news, this story will not pass 40 chapters, unless for some reason you guys keep giving me good ideas, but you all will definitely see spin-offs in the future, especially one that I promised a few months ago.**

 **Thank you all once again for such amazing reviews, it is always a purrleasure to read them. Until next time lovely readers!**

 **Lots of love to you all!**

 **~Imperial**


	31. Chapter 31

**(A/N) And welcome back to another chapter! It's good to see a good amount of you thought last chapter was cute. Very, Very,** **VERY** **important announcement at the end of the chapter that I need you guys to read. It has to do with this story and a lot of input would be greatly appreciated.**

 **So, please make sure to read that and leave your input!**

 **Side note time! Oooo man that trailer for season 2! I mean I saw it last week because of the main fan-made page on Twitter when it was released for Germany's Disney Channel. BUT THE FEELS ARE STILL SO REAL!**

 **And now to the chapter! Little bit shorter, but like I said at the end of last time, this isn't going to be a date chapter. Let's see what happens shall we?**

 ***boop***

"So, you've got everything planned out?"

Adrien's question took Marinette's attention away from her phone, away from the group message currently in progress. They were in her office at work, during her lunch break, which was the only time Adrien was 'allowed' to see her when it wasn't related to any current projects. She looked down again, reading the latest message before looking back up and nodding.

"Looks like everything is in order with the others. I just hope it all ends well."

The mischievous grin Adrien gave her was enough to cause her to grin back. Everything seemed to be in order for that weekend. Now as long as everything went according to plan, the outcome should be a good one… hopefully…

…

Everything was turning out just as planned. Well… the deciding factor had yet to arrive, but everything else was ready.

They were in Max's apartment, Max had actually calculated that for the least amount of suspicion, it should be held there. The group was already there, well, except for the two unsuspecting victims. Everyone felt the mixture of excitement and nerves that had started when they had been preparing the usual items. Adrien himself was sitting next to Marinette, hands interlocked as he somewhat bounced with energy. He was excited for multiple reasons and was completely ready for this to begin.

It was not long after that Max informed the group that he had received the text that the final two were on their way up. Everyone assumed their normal spots around the apartment, waiting in anticipation while still trying to act 'natural.' Not a minute later, Sabrina walks in the door, taking in everyone with utter confusion.

And Chloe walks in soon after…

The confusion on her face mirrors that of her friend next to her. No words were said as they all just stared at each other. Sabrina's eyes widened in realization, before morphing into ones full of gratitude. Chloe still was unsure of what was happening, looking from one person to another. Her eyes finally stopped on Marinette, eyebrows furrowing before pointing at her, and gestured to meet her out in the hall. Marinette gave Adrien's hand a quick squeeze before standing up, and following Chloe out of the room.

No one else moved from where they were, unsure what was happening on the other side of the door. Minutes seemed like hours as they continued to wait, especially for Adrien. He really wanted this to end well, he only knew of the two's history from the memory and what Marinette had told him. Chloe had never mentioned Marinette growing up, so he hadn't gotten any information out of her. He wanted them to get along now, and he knew they could.

After what seemed like forever, the two entered the room. Their faces unreadable as Marinette returned to her seat next to Adrien, and Chloe went back to standing next to Sabrina, whispering in her friend's ear. Adrien simply looked at Marinette, the unasked question clear in his expression. It was answered when Max announced that their movie night could begin. Everyone shuffled around quickly, finding seats for the Chloe and Sabrina before the debates began. In the end, everyone decided that it would only be best for Chloe and Adrien to choose the movie, since it was their first official time there. Minutes later the movie had started, Marinette and Adrien were somewhat snuggled into each other without causing disturbances to the ones around them. Adrien can't help but glance at Chloe, only to find a small smile shining brightly on her face.

…

It was hours later, the movie over and Max's place cleared out. Marinette and Adrien had gone back to her place to spend a few more hours together. The question that had been burning at the back of Adrien's mind could not be held back anymore.

"So, what did Chloe say to you before we started?"

Marinette chuckled, clearly expecting this question.

"Well…"

…

 _She wasn't exactly sure what to expect when Chloe had requested her to follow. They went down the hallway a bit, getting clear of any eavesdroppers that might want to listen in before Chloe turned around abruptly, pointing an accusing finger at her._

" _You have a hidden camera in your apartment, don't you!"_

 _Marinette blinked, of all she had expected Chloe to say, this was not one of them._

"… _What?"_

 _Chloe didn't even take in Marinette's confused expression._

" _Of course you do! Now everything about tonight makes sense! You obviously know about all that I said about…" And as Chloe started her rant, it all made sense of what she said before. Marinette masked the confused look back on her face just in time for Chloe to look at her and stop speaking abruptly, before speaking in a quiet voice._

" _You… you have no idea what I'm talking about…" As Marinette shook her head, Chloe's face reddened in embarrassment as she shut her mouth. Marinette knew what she had to do next, and hoped that she could get her point across._

" _Look Chloe, I know we haven't had the best of relationships growing up, but I just want to finally put this all behind us. We've both changed from back then, so there's no point in living in the past anymore. I talked to all the others, and we all want you there, but we won't force you. This is all up to you Chloe, just know you are welcome anytime."_

 _She didn't know how to respond as Chloe's eyes brimmed with tears, the overall situation leaving the blonde completely silent. Instinctively, Marinette pulls her into a hug, Chloe freezing for a second before accepting it. They stood like that for a minute, quiet apologies whispered between them. When they pull away, Chloe professionally wipes her eyes, making it appear that the tears were never there. Starting to walk back towards the apartment, she turned her head to look back at Marinette with a small smile on her face._

" _Thank you."_

…

Adrien couldn't help but smile as the story was relayed to him. It had gone so much better than expected. He pulled Marinette into a hug as she finished explaining.

"You're amazing, you know that Mari?"

The only response he got was an appreciative hum as she nuzzled into him more.

 ***boop***

 **I promised it was going to happen! Chloe's full redemption has been completed! Hope you all liked how it turned out.**

 **And now for the VERY important announcement!**

 **With how I have planned the rest of it out, this story will be 37 chapters, I am making it up to you guys if you want to see it to 40. This means I am calling upon all of you again. It doesn't necessarily have to be dates, but just anything you want to see before this story comes to an end. Technically I am in need of ideas for 3 mores chapters, but that doesn't mean I want to only see 3 ideas in the reviews.**

 **That also leads me to another thing I want your opinion on. Halloween is on a Tuesday this year and I usually post on Wednesday's. So, would you guys rather have the Halloween chapter released the Wednesday before or after Halloween? I want to see what you guys want with that so let me know.**

 **Alright, announcement out of the way, like I said, it's all up to you guys…**

 **Next Time! Another date I feel you guys won't want to miss… from how it looks, it's going to be quite interesting ;) One of your guys suggestions is coming into play!**

 **Until then lovely readers**

 **Lots of love to you all!**

 **~Imperial**


	32. Chapter 32

**(A/N) Well it appears a good chunk of you guys want to get this story to 40 chapters. A few of you have left really good suggestions that I will try to implement into the story, but keep the ideas coming because who knows, one idea might mix well with another and lead to a good chapter.**

 **I promised cat stuff, didn't I? Well, I can tell you all know that this is the first chapter with that stuff. Although maybe not in the way you think… This chapter was partially inspired by the reviewee Determined-Day-Dreamer.**

 **Let's begin, shall we?**

 ***boop***

Adrien stifled his urge to giggle as he led Marinette to their date. After the success of the first date, he wanted to do something different when it was his turn to decide. He had been stumped on what to do for the longest time, even going to his father for help, but the ideas Gabriel gave him didn't feel right. It wasn't until a few days ago when he was wandering around when he came across this perfect opportunity.

As they walked closer to their destination, Adrien made sure to keep Marinette's focus on him. She was suspicious of what he had planned, that was for sure, but she didn't know what. During the middle of their conversation, Adrien stopped suddenly with a wide grin. He turned Marinette to face a certain shop and urged her to look up at the sign. It took every bit of willpower to not groan after she had read the establishments name…

 _ **Cat-purr-cino Café**_

She turned back to face him, raising an eyebrow at his giddy appearance. Marinette yelped in surprise as he grabbed her hand and practically dragged her inside. She thought to herself that she really should have seen this coming, should have realized he would do something like this. She decided for now to just go along with it, who knows, she might actually enjoy it.

They were greeted with the sight of an open area with various couches and chairs throughout. Many with different breeds of cats laying down on them. A few boxes full of cat toys were placed around the room with some toys here and there on the floor. The last thing to catch their eye was the wall covered with a handful of photographed cats behind the main counter.

The employees working were very bubbly and willing to explain all the details of the place. Marinette and Adrien couldn't help but smile when they heard this store was charity based. Apparently, the café takes in strays from off the street as well as from shelters around Paris. They get the cats vaccinated as well as sent off to good homes most of the time. The wall of photos held pictures of the cats that had been adopted during their time at the café. The person behind the counter then started to list off the rules while handing both of them waivers to sign. After they signed the waivers, the employee gave them a menu to go over and they were allowed to sit wherever they liked.

After a few moments, they found a spot that two seats right next to each other that didn't already hold a cat or another person. The menu seemed simple enough, to Adrien's amusement most of the names of items were puns. It was easy to decide their order and quickly passing it on to one of the workers.

A few of the friendlier cats had made their way over to them at this point. They had been wandering from customer to customer, getting plenty of attention from those they had interacted with. By the time their food arrived, Marinette and Adrien were both easily more relaxed than they had been when they first walked in.

It had been a while since they had gotten there when one of the incoming customers caught Adrien's eye. Not the specific person, more like what they were bringing in. He quickly called one of the employees over and asked his question. Marinette quickly caught on as the employee replied.

"Why yes, we do allow customers to bring in their own cats. They have to sign an extra waiver as well as place a special collar around their cat so the other customers know it's not up for adoption. It's been shown to be good for the business so it's been a common thing since it started."

Adrien thanked the employee, when they had gotten out of hearing range he turned to Marinette mischievously. Causing her in turn to roll her eyes.

"You really want me to bring you here in your cat form?"

He laughed, shaking his head, which caused Marinette to give him a confused look.

"No, not me, you're going to be the one in cat form." Adrien quickly cut her off from her stammering and refusals as he continued in a more somber tone, "You know, you spent a lot of time with me as a cat. Don't you think that it's fair that its switched up just for a little while?" He put on his best 'kitten eyes' as he stared at her pleadingly. It was clear she wanted to resist, but she couldn't help but give in after a few moments.

…

About an hour later, Adrien returned to the café with a now transformed Marinette with him. They had learned from Alya a few days ago how to switch between forms. It had been a lot easier than they had expected. To switch back and forth, they had to think about the other form and focus intently on it. The first time they had tried, it had taken quite a while, but once they had learned what it felt like, it slowly had become easier and easier to do.

Since he was returning on the same day, all Adrien had to do was sign the extra waiver for his 'pet' before find a place for them to sit. Marinette seemed rather nervous about the whole situation, but it made sense for her to feel that way. He reassuringly scratched behind her ears as they settled onto the couch. Marinette made herself comfortable by nestling up next to him.

They sat there just enjoying the atmosphere of the place. Actual cats seemed to be confused by Marinette as they came up and sniffed at her. They somehow could tell that she actually wasn't their kind, but didn't make a big scene out of it. Adrien had picked up a random magazine next to him and was browsing through it when movement and a loud voice right in front of him jolted him out of his focus.

"Mama! Look at this pretty kitty!"

A little girl, probably around the age of five, was shouting gleefully as she showed who was most likely her mother the cat she had just picked up, holding it in an awkward way.

It took him half a second to realize that she had picked up Marinette…

Adrien and Marinette had matching terrified expression as the little girl made her way closer to her mother. Adrien practically jumped up from his seat and walked over to them. The mother was very apologetic after he had explained that the 'cat' was indeed his. After the mother explained this to her daughter, the little girl handed over a disheveled looking Marinette, but curiously followed him as he sat back down.

"What's your kitty's name?"

Adrien froze for a moment, looking down at Marinette as he realized she hadn't been given a name like he had. He knew he had to come up with something fast.

"Her name… Her name is Princess."

That seemed to please the little girl as she giggled. Marinette on the other hand gave him an unimpressed look that he used her nickname. The girl timidly reached out a hand and began to pet 'Princess' as she asked Adrien more questions. Things like where and when he had got her were easy to make up information about.

"You sure are lucky sir, I wish I had a kitty like this one." Her comment caused Adrien to smile, looking down at Marinette who was returning his gaze.

"Yeah, I love my Princess." He gave Marinette a hidden wink as he said this, causing her to look surprised for a brief second before changing into what he could only guess was a more flustered expression. The child seemed satisfied with his answers and returned to her mother. It was soon after that Adrien decided that it would probably be best for them to leave rather than having any more incidents like that.

Later, when they had returned to Marinette's apartment. Marinette exited her bedroom, changed back and fully clothed. She caught Adrien off guard as she pulled him into a hug, rubbing her face against his chest.

"We are not doing that again…" she muttered only loud enough for him to hear. Adrien wholeheartedly agreed as he placed a kiss on the top of her head.

 ***boop***

 **Well there's your first taste of some cat stuff. There will be more to come I can assure you of that.**

 **Now I actually have never been to a Cat Café, seen plenty of information about them but never been. A big thank you again to the reviewer who suggested it. It was definitely fun to think up this chapter. Also coming up with a name was fun… Cappuccino/Cat-purr-cino how could I paws up on the oppurrtunity?**

 **Funny little story, though some of you might not be too interested. One of my college courses is a Microbiology class with a required lab. Now this last week in lab, we started an experiment where we received an unknown bacteria and have to figure out what it is over the course of the next few weeks. As a joke, I nicknamed mine Plagg just for fun, cuz you know… Plagg is similar to Plague and the Plague was caused by bacteria (yes, I know I'm a nerd, just ask me what I thought about the latest Star Wars trailer), and after the first day last week I realized how accurate the name was.**

 **Because 'Plagg' was being an uncooperative little turd!**

 **All the tests we did the first day were not giving me the expected results, which was extremely frustrating. Luckily, I was getting better results with this week's first lab so hopefully it'll be better from now on.**

 **That little unnecessary story aside, I hope you guys keep the fun ideas coming. Like I said at the beginning, any idea you guys give could actually be implemented and make a chapter even better!**

 **Until next week lovely readers**

 **Lots of love to you all!**

 **~Imperial**


	33. Chapter 33

**(A/N) Hello everyone! Hope you've all had a good week so far. I've decided that next week will be the Halloween chapter, that way you guys can read it before Halloween and not after.**

 **This chapter is definitely shorter than usual, gonna shift the focus for this smaller chapter. I do have to thank sweet XD melody, Yamina20, and Crystalkit7 for each suggesting a similar idea that will be the focus today. All I can say is… prepare yourselves for what I have done with it xD.**

 ***boop***

Before he 'disappeared,' Adrien could easily count the amount of times his father would join him for meals. Now though, it happened almost every time Adrien was home. Sure, he loved spending time with Marinette, but the fact that Gabriel was now making an effort to be a part of his life again was heartwarming. There weren't always conversations, but just having his father there made it seem almost unreal.

Such was the case for Adrien. His father might have been late due to complications at work, but they were now enjoying a quiet dinner together. The large dining room felt less empty and a little more welcoming due to that, and Adrien couldn't help but revel in the feeling.

Gabriel seemed especially quiet tonight, something clearly on his mind as he continually glanced down at the tablet he uses to work at home. He doesn't seem to be fully focused on that though, more just of a way to make it seem like everything was normal. Adrien didn't want to question his father, he had seen this expression a few times before in his life and had learned that it is better not to get involved.

Though what actually happened was not what he was expecting…

It all started when his father cleared his throat, it wasn't unnecessarily loud, but it was enough to get Adrien's attention.

"So, Adrien. How is your relationship with Miss Dupain-Cheng coming along?"

His question seemed innocent enough, and Adrien could tell that his father was interested with their relationship early on.

"It's going better than I could have dreamed Father. Marinette is… she's amazing and I just feel lucky to know her."

Gabriel nodded at this, he seemed to approve of what his son had said. He looked down at his tablet as he spoke again.

"You do seem to spend quite a lot of time together, I do trust that you are careful and use protection when you two get together."

Adrien chose the worst time to take a drink, almost doing a spit-take at his father's words. The blood rushed to his head quickly in surprise.

"It's not! We're not!" Gabriel didn't seem to hear Adrien's stuttering as he continued.

"Now I know what it's like to be young, son…"

"F-father…"

"But there is a right time and place for certain things to occur…"

"Fa-…"

"Please understand that as your father, I'm trying to help you stay on a good course Adrien."

Adrien was utterly floored at the 'talk' Gabriel had just given him. Beet red in embarrassment, he tried to explain to his father the truth of the situation.

"N-no father! You misunderstand… Marinette and I… haven't actually done anything like that."

It was Gabriel's turn to be surprised, though it only lasted briefly as he regained control of his features.

"I see… Well then, I must apologize Adrien, I was not sure of the exact details of your relationship at this point. Now if you'll excuse me, I have some matters that must be attended to."

Adrien couldn't say anything as his father stood up and briskly left the room, tablet tightly clutched in his hand. Fazed by what had just occurred, Adrien simply sat there with his mouth wide open in shock of what that conversation was.

All he knew at this point, is that extremely awkward conversation had actually happened. It just made him want to hide and curl up into a ball. Or well… a better alternative that he was already acting on.

He pulled out his phone, face still red with embarrassment as he sent out the text.

Adrien: Can I come over, like right now?

He waits patiently, hoping she isn't too busy with anything at the moment. Thankfully, she replies quickly, causing Adrien to smile. Soon enough they are texting back and forth quickly.

Marinette: Of course! Is something wrong?

Adrien: I need cat cuddles right now…

Marinette: Did something bad happen? Did you fight with your father?

Adrien: No, no fight, but it will be better to talk about it in person…

With the assurance of cuddles, Adrien quickly makes his way to grab his things. He sends a text to Nathalie and his father to let them know he's going out before exiting the house, completely ready to get that awkward situation out of his mind.

 ***boop***

 **I hope you all felt the awkwardness, not gonna lie, that was fun to write. Gabriel trying to give Adrien a 'talk' and it just being a complete uncomfortable situation for all involved.**

 **Like I said at the beginning, Halloween chapter next time, then it will be a mix of more cute stuff as well as the last of the main plot that should hopefully fill up the last few parts of the story.**

 **A few of you actually liked the 'Plagg' thing so I feel I should do a quick update. So far everything has been going fine, it hasn't given me any trouble since the first day. Although it spreads a little too much in certain experiments, somewhat showing a familiar greedily hungry side that is definitely Plagg…**

 **Well I hope you enjoyed this week's chapter, we really are getting close now, aren't we? Keep the suggestions coming and let's see what happens in the last few chapters. Until next time!**

 **Lots of Love to you all!**

 **~Imperial**


	34. Chapter 34

**(A/N) Welcome to the early Halloween chapter! I didn't want to mess with the schedule for this series, so that's why you're getting it almost a week early. I may or may not be actually releasing something on Halloween, though it's not Halloween related, but it's new and something that has been forming for a few months. I might release it this weekend though, not too sure yet.**

 **So, after one of the reviews last time, I feel like I should clarify something, and I'm glad someone brought it up. To put it simply, I won't ever be posting a rated M fic. Due to personal feelings as well as beliefs, I will never actually post something that goes** _ **that**_ **far. I hope at least some of you understand what I mean.**

 **OOoooooo man, has anyone else seen the first two episodes of season 2? Don't worry I won't say anything, because spoilers are no fun, but I can't wait for the rest of the season.**

 **Let's jump right into it, shall we?**

 ***boop***

Halloween was always a fun time of year at her parent's bakery. All of the decorations and various holiday themed baked goods always made for fond memories. During the daytime, Marinette would always help out in the bakery, leaving the evening to spend with friends or just relaxing in her old bedroom. This year though, was just a little different.

"Adrien, for the last time, we have our own treats for later... Stop trying to eat the ones for the customers." She swats his hand away for what it feels like the millionth time, rolling her eyes at the playful grin he gives her.

"But Purrincess, I'm hungry meow." She really should have expected his response at this point. Marinette reached up and ruffled his hair, trying not to dislodge the fake cat ears resting on his head. In response, he flicked the witch hat she was currently wearing.

Originally, Adrien had actually wanted for the both of them to have their actual cat ears and tails for the day. But due to multiple reasons, it was decided to just go with cheap costumes instead. Marinette had wanted to make the costumes at least, but time was not on her side. Adrien had been the one to come up with the 'Witch and Black Cat' theme they were currently in.

They messed around for another minute before getting back to work. Adrien had been proving to be a very good worker in the few hours they were there. He was willing to help in any way he could, whether it was with customers or helping her in the back like he was now. Marinette wasn't surprised to see that her father and Adrien had hit it off really quickly, tossing jokes back and forth with ease. For Adrien and Marinette, the hours passing by felt like minutes.

…

The sun was setting when they were finished with their tasks. A few bags full of baked goods in hand as they made their way to their destination.

"So, have you been to their haunted house before?"

Marinette nodded at his question while adjusting one of the bags. "Nino came up with the idea over a year ago, they had their grand opening last year and it was a big success. I just remember how amazed I was with how realistic some of their effects were. Now that I know the truth, it's easy to see that they aren't special effects at all, just our friends using their curses for fun." She smiled at the memories and continued, "There are a few who work with them that don't realize it as well though, but they're in charge of the less scary parts."

Adrien agreed that it was a smart idea. Most people would just think it's all fake, with the truth being they were actually being scared by the actual things. The fact that this was a charity based thing made it even better.

They soon arrived at the building that it was being held in. It was definitely busy, with the line out the door. They swiftly got in the line and waited as they slowly got closer and closer to the front. Rose and Juleka were at the main entrance, handling the money received and handing out the passes. They smiled brightly as they saw Adrien and Marinette, giving them their passes and receiving their bagged goodies. Unbeknownst to the two, Rose sent a text to the others inside, letting them know to expect them and their baked treats very soon.

Marinette was taken by surprise as Adrien grasped her hand tightly. Looking up, she could make out the tight line his mouth was in the dimming light. It was easy to understand how he was feeling currently.

"Hey, it's okay, these things creep me out as well." Adrien smiled at her words, happy to know that he wasn't alone in this discomfort. It gave him a spurt of confidence as they stepped inside the attraction.

The first few were pretty mundane, quickly handing off some of the bags to Kim, Alix, and Max as they came across them. Their first real scare came with Mylene. Adrien hadn't seen her monstrous form before, and Marinette had been told last year it was an animatronic. She was playing the part well, only breaking character when the two started to walk away. They both jumped at the tap on their shoulders before turning around to see their transformed friend. Marinette handed her a bag, and with a nod Mylene got back into her position.

Nino and Alya were the next of their friends. Nino using his dog form to do a sort of werewolf transformation scene as Alya screamed and pounded on the door. They quickly stopped when they saw their friends, easily opening the 'locked door' Alya was trying to get out of and accepting their treats. It wasn't a long visit as the two had to get back into character before the next group came through.

The rest of the haunted house were simple scenes, ranging from zombies to vampires and such. Sabrina had managed to get a scream out of Marinette with her invisible form. She wasn't fully invisible no, she still had very visible clothes that made it seem like a crazy good optical illusion. The last one of their friends a part of it was literally the last thing that chased them out. Ivan had been standing so still in his monstrous form, convincing many he was a statue. Only with Adrien and Marinette he decided to make it fun and chase after them for a few seconds. He received his bag of treats by it being thrown straight at his face in fright.

They sighed in relief as they exited the attraction. A mixture of tension and thrill running through them both. They handed the last bag off to Nathaniel who was at the exit before making their way back to Marinette's. It was still early enough in the evening for them to maybe watch a couple scary movies, or most likely some more family friendly ones to ease their nerves.

 ***boop***

 **And there we go. I feel like this was a good chapter to show off some of the groups curses since they were only briefly mentioned.**

 **You all should probably know I've never actually been to a legitimate haunted house. I am not a fan of horror stuff in the slightest, and luckily for me my boyfriend is the same and we can avoid scary stuff together. XD**

 **No real Plagg update this week since I've only been setting up experiments with it, I'll have something for those interested next week.**

 **I hope you all have a fun and safe Halloween this year. Eat candy and don't do anything too crazy. I don't exactly have plans yet but it's most like going to be watching Hocus Pocus with my roommates or something like that. I hope to see you all next week!**

 **Lots of Love to you all!**

 **~Imperial**


	35. Chapter 35

**(A/N) I do hope you all had a safe Halloween. My evening consisted of playing a team videogame on a livestream, and then finishing up this chapter… xD**

 **I feel as if it's a good time to get back to some more plot, we've had a good amount of fluff these last few chapters, but I believe it's time since we're so close to the end.**

 ***boop***

Every few nights or so, Adrien had nightmares, and as of late they were becoming more frequent. They weren't always the exact same thing, but they all had a similar focus. They all involved the woman who had cursed him in the first place. Various scenarios had haunted him each night he had these dreams. They all had to do with her, but they also had to do with Marinette. Every single dream ended with them being separated in one way or another. He would jolt awake, sometimes being drenched in sweat with his heart racing.

The times he had these dreams, he was always in his own bed. There was no sign of them the few times he stayed over at Marinette's. He didn't know if that was a coincidence or not, but it made him want to stay over more. Unfortunately, this was something that he could only do once in a while, as to not raise any suspicion from his father.

The previous night had been one of the worst ones. The suffocating moment he had experienced turned out to be the heavy book he had fallen asleep reading, but that didn't make the dream any less terrifying. At this point, he knew he couldn't keep it a secret anymore. He needed to talk to someone, he needed to talk to Marinette.

…

Marinette was more than willing to meet him for her lunch break, it wasn't really a surprise to her since they did this almost every time she works. She could tell something was up when she saw him walk into her office, the dark circles under his eyes as well as an overall nervous expression framed his features. It took little coaxing for him to begin talking about his nightmares. Marinette was attentive during the whole story, not interrupting him at all as he continued. Only when she knew he was done was when she spoke.

"So, you don't know what's causing it, but they are becoming more frequent?" He wordlessly nods at her question, and the expression on his face was enough to make her heart break. Without a second thought, Marinette pulls him into a much-needed hug.

"I can't make the nightmares go away, but I will do everything I can to make sure you can get through this Adrien. I just wish we knew why they are happening."

Her reassuring words mixed with the warmth of the embrace helped ease the tension in Adrien's body. It was enough to make him feel that whatever happened, they would get through it together.

"I may actually be able to help you with that, Adrien."

The unknown voice caused both Adrien and Marinette to whip their heads around in surprise. Nerves settling down when they discovered it to be Fu standing by the doorway. Adrien and Marinette separated as Fu came closer.

"I trust that you both have been adjusting well while I've been away, it clearly looks to be so from my perspective." The glimmer in his eyes caused the two to blush slightly before the old man continued. "I mentioned before we parted ways that I would have to call upon you both soon, and now is that time. You both are needed for a rather important hearing, it affects both of you more than you know."

The confusion was extremely clear on their faces, but they both agreed to join Fu for the mysterious hearing later that evening.

…

The sun had set when Adrien arrived at Marinette's apartment. She opened the door without a word and they waited for Fu in silence, unsure of what to say or think of the situation. After a while, Adrien spoke up to try and ease some of the tension.

"What do you think this 'hearing' is about?"

Marinette could only shrug, it all seemed strange to her and she couldn't even begin to guess what it could be.

Soon enough, there was a knock at the door. Marinette opened it to reveal a strangely dressed Fu, though he didn't pay mind to their curious stares to his attire as well as the strange bag he carried.

"Good evening to both of you, I trust we are all ready to leave?" They both nodded somewhat reluctantly, not knowing what they were about to go through.

One moment they were standing in Marinette's apartment, and in the next they were in a strange hallway. Adrien had experienced something like this before, but Marinette hadn't as she stumbled and almost fell. Adrien held her as she recovered from the dizzy spell that was caused by the sudden shift. Fu quickly apologized for not warning the two in advance before ushering them down the corridor.

The décor seemed normal enough, but that didn't take away from the strange feeling in the air around them. Passing by some doors, they heard shouting coming from the other side of one. Adrien and Marinette tried not to, but it was hard to resist listening in.

"…of course you would say something like that! Pointing an accusing finger at me as always and claiming that it is all my fault! Well let me ask you something you stuck up little bee… Did you act this way when sweet butterfly child's pupil went crazy and tried to take over the world? Of course not! But because it's mine for a not as serious case…" The rest of the conversation was muffled as the group continued on their way.

Large double doors soon appeared in front of them. An immense feeling of power flowed from them as Fu made his way to open it. Inside revealed to be a circular room, various benches lined up near their entryway. On the opposite side of the room, seven raised platforms stood proudly, each bearing a symbol in different colors. The whole room slanted downwards towards the center, where it all connected lay a simple circular point. No furniture of any kind, and it was small enough for only one person to stand in.

A good number of the benches held people already, some complete strangers while other were definitely familiar. Ivan, Nathaniel, Sabrina all turned to nod as the three came closer. Kim was supporting a slightly shaking Alix as she stared down at the circle with a vague expression. As Adrien and Marinette sat next to their friends, Fu went off to join a group in similar attire to his. All of this seemed confusing to Marinette, but Adrien was starting to piece the information together, color slightly draining from his face in the process.

Marinette noticed the paleness on his face right before a large noise called everyone's attention. They all looked across the room to see hooded figures taking their places on each of the platforms. Each of the cloaks match the color of the symbol correlated to the platform they now stood on. Marinette looked over to see Fu and the others he was by, they were bowing in respect to the hooded figures. It made her wonder if they should be doing the same. Without warning, the people removed their hoods, and the one in the dark green one spoke with a loud but calming voice.

"We will now commence the trial of one Lila Rossi, thank you all for making the time for this event."

Adrien's heart began to race as his suspicions were now confirmed, he turned to look at Marinette to see her mouth opened in surprise. Some of the others in their friend group holding similar expressions. Curious, he bends over slightly to whisper in her ear.

"What's wrong?"

She blinks rapidly, as if making sure what she is seeing is real. Without looking at him, she whispers in response.

"It's just… the two people on the podiums in the middle… those are my landlords…"

 ***boop***

 **And that's where we're cutting it for the week. Next time: The Trial of Lila!**

 **In all honesty it would have gone extremely long if I had included the actual trial in this chapter. That way it isn't rushed and you'll all get more details.**

 **Well friends, on Halloween after a few weeks of testing and testing. The little bacteria I nicknamed Plagg has been revealed…**

 **Plagg's identity is…** _ **Bacillus cereus!**_

 **Which is a bacterium that can cause food poisoning…**

… **Well Adrien said it best! "My only loss is my appetite." Kinda makes sense with how it devoured a lot of different medias, you guys should have seen the blood agar plate…**

 **Well guys, see you next week!**

 **Lots of love to you all!**

 **~Imperial**


	36. Chapter 36

**(A/N) Well lovely readers, it's that time again. I wanted to wait to do this whole thing since the other goals were very close, so here we go.**

 **Cats and Curses has reached 200 Favorites, 300 Followers, AND 400 Reviews!**

 **Is... is this for real?**

 **Seriously though, this is astounding… to think that a little story that had been sitting around for a while could blow up this big. And it's all thanks to you guys, this story would not have reached these milestones if it wasn't for you all. I wish there was more I could do to thank you guys…**

 **Now let us commence to the chapter. We left on sort of a cliffhanger last time with a strange revelation. For those questioning that decision, bear with me, it will all become clear soon…**

 ***boop***

Adrien looked from Marinette to the two she was talking about. Surprise and overall confusion took him over as he tried to study the two from that distance. He had never seen her landlords during his time as a cat, or even the times he visited Marinette now. Taking in their strange appearances, all he could think is why in the world two magical people-beings would want to be landlords. The being in the dark green robe spoke up again, drawing Adrien's attention back to the issue at hand.

"Lila Rossi is charged with multiple cases of improper magic use. Before we bring the guilty party forward, I would ask that all those affected by her magic, at one point or another, to one at a time relay their tales to us. We ask that you remain orderly about this, and we will start with the people in the closest row."

One by one, people stood up and told their stories, Adrien was more in shock at how many this woman had actually affected. He had lost count by the time their friends took their turns. Alix barely being able to hold it together due to Kim's support, but it somehow seemed that a few of the beings already knew her tale, which only left Adrien with more questions.

Finally, it was his turn. He stood up and began at the beginning, explaining every detail, minus the more personal items. Due to Marinette not personally coming in contact with Lila, Adrien told her part of the tale since it was more of his fault. Throughout the entire ordeal, Marinette was silently offering him support.

It didn't take long for him to finish, sitting back down as the next person stood and began their turn. He felt his hand being squeezed, turning his head, he saw Marinette's comforting smile. It was enough to take away some of the stress that had a hold of him since this whole hearing had begun.

It was about fifteen minutes later when the last person finished their experience. He knew at least more than twenty people had been afflicted, but each one except for a few had had a different curse or hex from this one person. The people on the podiums were emotionless as each person took their turns. Once the last person sat down, the same cloaked figure from before speaking up again.

"Now that we have heard the affected parties, we will bring forward Miss Lila. I assure each and every one of you that she will not be able to do anything to you, she will not even be able to see any of you in fact. I ask you all remain quiet to hold the effect, but with that we may continue. Fu, you may bring her to the center now."

They all turned their heads to see Fu standing up and making his way towards the center circle. He pulled a small object out of the strange back with him, and that's when they all heard it.

Frustrated shouts and screams came from the object, as well as the sound of someone pounding against glass. Only when light reflected off of it into Adrien's eyes did he realize it was a mirror. It all clicked together just as Fu place the mirror in the circle, a bright light bursting out as he stepped away. When the light cleared, there stood Lila.

She was exactly as Adrien remembered, only a little more disheveled in appearance. She snarled in rage as she looked around, only freezing as she laid eyes on the people standing on the podiums. Tension in the room started to grow rapidly, silence started to fill thick before the girl snapped in a sarcastic tone.

"Such lovely hospitality I've received these last few weeks. You've really improved your methods since the last goon you brought to where I am. Maybe you should tell that old turtle that he should be more caring about his capture methods so one isn't ripped away from what they are doing."

"Lila, you were in the middle of cursing someone. You were trapped by your own spell." The orange hooded person spoke to Lila in a calm voice, though the tone seemed somewhat strained.

"Well it's not like any of you noticed until now! You're all cowards who make your students do whatever you want! You don't even have the guts to do this in your true forms and…"

"That is enough Lila!" The orange one's voice boomed throughout the room. Adrien could see the fire in the woman's eyes as she continued.

"I teach you everything you know, and this is how you use it? I trained you to help others and this is the result of you ignoring those words and causing problems for many!" There was a pause filled with an intense pressure centered towards Lila, and she was trying her best to not cower in fear, "You are no longer worthy to be called my pupil."

Those words seemed to wound Lila as she dropped to her knees. The room bathed in silence again as all looked from student to teacher, unsure of what would happen next. It was broken when the green hooded man waved his hand, encasing Lila in darkness.

"It is now that we find Lila Rossi guilty for all crimes accused of her. The Seven will decide the proper punishment in the next few days and will convene privately to place such punishment. We thank you all for taking the time to state you claims. You are all free to go except for the few I am about to name, for these people have been asked to speak with some of us."

The man started to list off the names, both Adrien and Marinette stiffening as their names were called. Their friends that were there were called as well, which meant it had something to do with the two that were the landlords.

People started to trickle out of the room, Fu gesturing for their specific group to follow him. He led them all to a group of rooms, sending Adrien and Marinette into one and the rest into another. They sat in the finely furnished room for a while. Trying to listen to the conversation that happened in the other room that held their friends. Their heads snapped to the door as it was opened, Fu the first person they see followed by the two supposed landlords. The woman in the red hood smiled at Marinette while the man in black seemed to be disinterested in being there. They all sat down before the woman spoke.

"I'm sorry we had to keep you from going home, but it was easier to do this then to try and find another time." Her voice was sweet as she addressed the two, sincerity in her voice as she continued, "I feel like we should have proper introductions, since you don't know us by our real names."

Marinette nodded at the suggestion, which was apparently what the woman wanted to see. She introduced herself as Tikki before introducing her brooding partner as Plagg. She opened it for them to ask any questions they might have, and it was obvious which one was the biggest on their mind. Before Tikki could answer, Plagg cut in to offer his response.

"Well you see, Tikki here wanted to 'try a normal life for a time.' She was lucky Turtle's pupil here offered an idea or who knows how overboard she would have gone."

Plagg started to laugh before getting nudged by Tikki. A few minutes later Marinette and Adrien were sent home, leaving Fu with the other two.

...

"You were right Fu, those two do seem like possible candidates. Though our current ones did ask for a few more years of service before retiring." Tikki was deep in thought as she said this, while Fu was smiling in approval.

"I do have recommendations for the other members of The Seven, including one for Trixx, due to her current one now being invalid."

"We look forward to hearing your suggestions dear Guardian."

 ***boop***

 **I do hope you liked the second part of the Trial, we all knew Lila was going to get what was coming to her. I hope I cleared up any confusion the end of last chapter caused, I did say I would explain it, didn't I?**

 **We're coming very close to the end now. Pretty sure I've got everything planned out for the remaining chapters. Chapter 40 will be the epilogue so that leaves three normal chapters to go.**

 **If you guys have any thoughts or questions, please feel free to leave them in a review. See you all next week!**

 **Lots of love to you all!**

 **~Imperial**


	37. Chapter 37

**(A/N) So before we begin I would like to apologize with how short this chapter will probably be. It's my own fault because I was an idiot and have been procrastinating a big paper that's due this week. Been working like crazy on it since it's a big chunk of my grade... Tip for you all… Do. Not. Procrastinate in college…**

 **Anyways… got two people to thank for the ideas for this chapter. So, Daisy Rhine and Dragon Lord Draco, I believe that we discussed these quite a few weeks ago, let's see how things unfold shall we?**

 ***boop***

It all started on the most recent movie night with the group, Alix and Kim got on one their usual competitive rants. It heated up quickly as they started discussing their friends. It soon came to the topic of Adrien and Marinette, and since they had experienced identical curses, a bet was soon made.

And now here they all were, on a random rooftop in Paris. Both Adrien and Marinette already in their cat forms, wondering how they even agreed to doing this. Looking over to their friends, Kim and Alix both have confident grins for who they had bet on. Alya, as per usual, had her phone out and ready to film what she could. The rest had mixed expressions of excitement as well as concern.

Max soon started listing off the rules for the 'competition' while the others waited patiently. It was all pretty straightforward with what is expected of them both. In reality the two just wanted to get this over with, especially since they knew that they'd have to do it again if they didn't even try.

A few moments later the 'race' started and the two were off. Their friends had chosen an area that wouldn't be too exerting and they continued on. It was simple enough, race to a certain point, and then back to the starting line.

Adrien and Marinette couldn't deny the feeling of exhilaration as they bounded from rooftop to rooftop. The cool early evening air kept them from overheating as they raced neck and neck. Though unbeknownst to their friends, they had already decided what the outcome of the race would be.

Mixed cheers and groans of defeat were heard as Marinette finished first with Adrien close behind. Alix was particularly happy since she had won the bet over Kim, much to his dismay. They all turned to offer congratulations and condolences, only to find the two cats had already left.

...

A few minutes later, the two had arrived at Marinette's apartment and enter through the balcony door she had left open. Both tired from the race, they curled up on the couch so they could catch their breath, not feeling like changing back into their human forms just yet. Marinette could hear her cellphone ringing from the other room. Most likely Alya trying to get a hold of her friends.

 _"Let's agree not to go along with another one of their bets for a while."_

 _"I'm with you their Mari, do they really bet like that often?"_ Marinette's only nodded in response, and as she did so Adrien decided to have some fun as he spoke again, _"Though I do think if we had been racing for real, I would have come out on top, don't you think?"_

He received the response he was looking for as she rolled her eyes and looked at him with a blatant expression. Though he wasn't fully satisfied just yet.

 _"Face it Mari, I have more experience as a cat and could beat you easily."_ His tone was playful as he continued to go off on that subject, Marinette cutting in a few times to counter his remarks in a similar tone. That was at least until she pounced on him.

They both started to laugh as they tumbled around the couch, playfully pawing at each other as they did so. They let some of their cat-like instincts show as they continued to roll around and jump on each other.

The laughter soon turned to breathless giggles, causing them to stop a while after starting. Adrien looked over to Marinette, a warm feeling overwhelming both of them. As she turned her head towards him, he blinked slowly while letting out a happy purr. He once again couldn't help but feel extremely lucky to have her in his life.

 ***boop***

 **Hope this was enjoyable even though it was definitely shorter. Crazy to think how close the end is for this series.**

 **Speaking of which, I just want to make it extremely clear that this is only going to 40 chapters. Now I know last chapter opened up some opportunities, but if anything that will be a short sequel-ish thing. Though that depends on how much time I'll have this next semester. The side story I promised forever ago is still definitely going to be a thing. So, we'll see how everything goes before I promise another one.**

 **Well lovely readers, I'll see you all next week!**

 **Lots of love to you all!**

 **~Imperial**


	38. Chapter 38

**(A/N) Here we are again lovely readers, we're really coming down to the wire, aren't we? I can report that I finished the paper that caused last chapter to be short in enough time for editing and turning in on time. Now to just wait for that grade.**

 **I've said this before in a note, but might as well mention it again with all the reviews I got last time. I am a major fluff writer. Love me some good fluff and it's great to see you guys enjoy it as well. Least liked genre to write is Angst, especially with these precious children that just need to get together in the show already.**

 **Random comments aside, hope you all are ready for something fun and hopefully adorable. Got another familiar face in a rough situation for you guys, and I must thank suicunespurr for inspiring and helping to choose a specific thing.**

 ***boop***

It was obvious that Marinette was still willing to take in 'cursed' animals from time to time, well to Adrien at least. She had talked about how it would be even better now since she could help them more and actually be able to understand them, and he agreed wholeheartedly. So, when Fu came to her a few weeks after the trial situation, she accepted quickly, and Adrien didn't seem to mind. That was at least until a few days into it.

They only knew him by his first name, Ali, and that his cursed form was a hedgehog. And someone in the short amount of time he had been there, he had already won the hearts of all the girls with his adorableness, including Marinette's.

Adrien didn't really see the appeal. Sure, hedgehogs are decently cute and all, but not enough to cause his friends to melt in response to the normal, daily things Ali did. Heck, just him crawling around was enough to cause the squeals to start.

The worst was when Ali was sleeping, the way he curled into himself for some reason seemed like the most adorable thing to them. Not to mention that a lot of the times it was on Marinette's lap.

Of course, Adrien wouldn't say he was jealous…

Not at all…

It wasn't like he was envious since that used to be his spot or anything…

… well, maybe he was a _little_ jealous, but he had a good reason in his mind.

Someone was always over at Marinette's place now, taking away time that Adrien can spend one on one with her. Ali had said at the beginning that he would gladly give them time to themselves, but they all didn't account for the constant visitors. And whenever he saw Ali cuddled up to Marinette in any way, he felt something twinge within him, and agitation soon set in. Thanks to his years of modeling experience, he was able to mask it away as to not be questioned by Marinette and any of the others.

Some of the other guys in their friend group seemed to have the same problems with their girls though. Nino had physically dragged Alya out of the apartment a few times already. Sometimes in jealousy, but others due to her having work or other plans. Ivan was more understanding with Mylene and would only speak up when they had to leave.

Other than that, it was common to see at least one girl spending time in Marinette's apartment, with Rose and Juleka being the most consistent. Adrien really just wanted some alone time with Marinette, and it didn't look like he would be getting any anytime soon. It was to the point that even five minutes alone seemed like a blessing. At least he was able to spend time with her during her lunch breaks at work, but it slowly was becoming less satisfying.

He didn't hate Ali, that most definitely wasn't the case. He was always kind and polite to the other and generally seemed to be a good guy. It's just, there was a strange protective feeling he had when it came to Marinette, and it was getting stronger as the days passed.

So, he continued his façade, making it seem like nothing was awry whenever he was over. Unfortunately for him, Marinette was able to see behind his perfect mask.

She noticed a few days into caring for Ali, Adrien's easy-going smile wasn't enough to hide his rigidity from her perspective. No one else seemed to notice it, but they didn't know him as well as she did. Though, she'd rather not confront him about it when there are others around.

That opportunity came within a matter of days, Rose practically begged Marinette to let the cursed Ali stay over at her apartment she shared with Juleka. When she agreed, she cast a quick glance over to Adrien, his eyes lighting up briefly in excitement before assuming his original expression. She could tell what he was thinking, and was just as ready for a night to themselves as he was.

…

A few hours later found them cuddled up on the couch, barely paying attention to the movie they had popped in. Marinette's hand was absentmindedly rubbing Adrien's head, her fingers spearing through his hair to get to the spots that she knew caused him to melt.

"I've missed this." He whispered quietly, only loud enough for her to hear. She hummed in agreeance before responding.

"My poor, jealous kitty has had a rough week, hasn't he?" The way he froze underneath her hand only confirmed her words, causing her to go into a giggle fit.

Adrien's stammering was enough to cause the giggling to continue. His red face only darkened as he tried to find the right words before slumping in defeat. Marinette calmed down quickly after that, holding his face in her hands, making him look into her eyes. She couldn't think of any consoling words, and instead just resorted to bringing their lips together.

They had kissed plenty of times before already, though most of the times it had been chaste pecks as to not let anyone see. As their lips met, all the frustration and annoyance of the last few days melted away from Adrien, soon letting him become fully immersed in the kiss.

He let his emotions come through with kiss, though restraining himself as to not go too far. They gravitated towards each other quickly, the need of wanting to be closer pulling them. His arms wrapped around her back and brought them even closer. Marinette's hands slid down to rest around his neck, his skin tingling to her touch as they continued.

They don't know how long they were like that, but the need for breath pulled them away soon enough. Eyes meeting as they pulled away slightly. It wasn't long after that a loud moment from the movie they had forgotten about jolted them out of their trance. They smiled at each other before Adrien had an idea. Moving away slightly before he rested his head on her lap. He smiled widely at her questioning look before speaking.

"Isn't it obvious? I'm reclaiming my spot since I'm your 'jealous kitty' Purrincess." That earned him a laugh before she rested her hand on his head again. They both tried to focus on what little remained in the movie, though both were distracted by similar thoughts

 ***boop***

 **Haven't written a kissing scene in a while so I thought I might indulge you guys, well at least until next chapter. xD**

 **Hoped you enjoyed some jealous Adrien, it's something I wanted to do but was unsure how. The suggestion suicunespurr gave really did help make it possible.**

 **For those of us celebrating it tomorrow, I hope you guys have a safe and happy Thanksgiving. For those who are not, I hope you all have a pleasant day.**

 **Lots of love to you all!**

 **~Imperial**


	39. Chapter 39

**(A/N) Wow… this is the last real chapter… by that I mean the last official chapter of this story is going to be an epilogue. But dang… it's really coming to the end, isn't it? Not gonna lie, it's gonna feel extremely weird after next week.**

 **Enough of the depressing stuff, let's get to the chapter. This chapter is rated T for all you sinners ;)**

 ***boop***

No matter the number of times he did it, Adrien always was nervous when his father called him into his home office. Even though their relationship was much better then it had been in years, there always was that unavoidable nervousness that was associated with this. In the past, it had always been some sort of news or decision that ended in an argument between father and son. So, in reality, the anxiety he always felt had been in good reason.

As he stood in front of the door leading to the office, Adrien couldn't help but fidget, before finally knocking on the door. It was only a few brief seconds before he was let in to stand before his father.

Gabriel didn't look up initially, he was immersed in what appeared to be a design, something Adrien wasn't surprised to see. Only when he was satisfied was when he acknowledged his son's presence.

"Ah yes Adrien, perfect timing, there is an interesting matter I need to discuss with you. Please sit down and we can begin."

Adrien couldn't help but feel unsure about what his father needed to 'discuss' with him. He couldn't help how stiffly he sat down, eyes unmoving from his father. Gabriel gave a curt nod before wordlessly handing him as small stack of papers that had been lying on the desk. Confused, Adrien began to leaf through each page, only to gape at his father when he realized what they were. It was clear that Gabriel was trying to suppress a smile as he spoke again.

"You can thank Nathalie later for doing all of the research, but I decided it would be best for you to choose one for yourself." He paused briefly, a flash of guilt appeared on his face before he continued, "It is clear keeping you under this roof for all of these years may have not been the best idea, and I am grateful we were able to resolve issues over the last few weeks. But I believe that it is very overdue that you live on your own."

Adrien almost couldn't believe what he was hearing. He had been asking to move out for who knows how many years, and his father was finally in agreement. Not only that, he had actively helped in the process, even if Nathalie did the research. After the tenth or so thank you had come from him, he left the room excitedly, making his way to his own room.

He honestly couldn't wait to get started, he studied each option in great detail. These weren't the only ones he could choose from, but he might as well go over them so Nathalie's work wouldn't be in vain. Only a few hours later was when he decided to take a break and just relax for a bit. He spun around in his desk chair for a moment before he noticed on of the drawers to his desk being slightly opened. His mind went back to the last time he had used his computer, he had been in a rush and had grabbed something from that specific drawer. By the looks of things, he hadn't closed it all the way. Curiosity took over as he opened it fully and began to look through its contents. It was full of random items he had just thrown in over the years and it was fun to reminisce over certain things. Reaching the bottom, he pulled out a worn out piece of paper. As he flipped it over he froze as he saw what was on the other side. Within seconds an idea came to him and he was soon heading back to his father's office.

...

To say Marinette was surprised to see a unmarked clothes bag on her desk as she arrived at work would be an understatement. She smiled as she read the note attached that quickly revealed who had left it. The instructions were simple, she was to wear this dress tonight and Adrien would meet her at a restaurant to celebrate something... the note didn't say what they were celebrating, but it must be something big enough for Adrien to do something like this. As she unzipped the bag, she couldn't help but gasp quietly as she took in the contents that lay inside, but for some reason, it felt strangely familiar to her.

...

Adrien's leg bounced nervously as he waited for Marinette to arrive. He had chosen a restaurant that wasn't too fancy, but still nicer in comparison to other places. He had shown up early enough that the wait was slowly became agonizing. Honestly, Adrien didn't know why he was so nervous right now, he had gone on a few dates already with Marinette, yet the nerves were still very present at the moment.

He heard Marinette before he saw her, her voice all too familiar as she thanked the host who brought her back, and as he saw her, he willingly let his jaw drop in awe.

The dress fit her perfectly, hugging her body just the right amount in the right places. The red cocktail dress ended mid-thigh and bore a sweetheart neckline. The black polka dots that were strewn throughout it only made the red color pop out more than it normally did. He made a mental note to deeply thank his fathers team that had brought the design to life as perfectly as they did, especially since he now knew how good she's looked in red. She had left her hair down, only making her appearance even more stunning as it framed her face the right amount. Her makeup was simple enough to let her true beauty shine through, though at the same time perfectly matched the tone of the rest of her apparel.

Adrien swallowed before standing up abruptly to pull out her chair. As he sat back down he couldn't stop the lovestruck smile spread across his face. That seemed enough to cause Marinette to blush. She opened her mouth to speak but was cut off by Adrien.

"Before you ask, I hope this looks familiar." He reached into his pocket and handed her the folded up paper. Marinette unfolded it and began to study the drawing in front of her. Recognition was obvious in her eyes as a smile slowly began to grow on her face.

"You really did keep it after all these years." She carefully wiped her eyes before looking back up at Adrien, a playful smile on her face. "So is this the subject you wished to celebrate?"

He quickly disproved her guess, explaining the conversation he had had a few days ago with his father which had in turn led to him finding the old design. As he had been explaining, the waiter had arrived and took their orders, leaving quickly so Adrien could continue. They were indulged in a different conversation as their food arrived.

...

Adrien took the opportunity to give Marinette a ride home, and wasn't at all surprised when she invited him up. He tried to make himself comfortable on the couch as she got them both something to drink. As she made her way over and set the drinks down, out of nowhere he stood up and spun her around the room, humming a random tune and causing her to laugh. They slowed as the made their return to the couch. He stared down at her with a spellbound look, only to receive a similar one from her. They slowly sat down as their lips met.

Their lips melded together before rapidly increasing in pace. Something stirred between them as their bodies came closer. Lips pressing together harder and harder while their hands began to roam. Marinette's landed in his hair while his own moved up and down her back. In one of their more passionate kisses, Adrien took the courage to swipe his tongue across her lips, asking rather than demanding. She obliged his request, and very soon he was exploring her mouth. The small noise she made when he did only caused him to press his lips harder to hers. They continue like this for awhile before Adrien decides to be bold again. He brushes her hair behind an ear and out of the way before slowly kissing his way down her neck. Her gasps and sighs were music to his ears as he journeyed down and back up. Her fingers were clutched in his hair, trying to get a firm grip. When he came back to her lips, it was like he had flipped a switch with how passionately she responded to him.

They don't know how much time has passed as they pulled away to breathe. Whether is was minutes or hours, neither seemed to care as they held each other. Marinette had rested her head on his shoulder as they both took deep breaths. They stayed like that for awhile, simply happy in the position they were in now. As they sat there, they knew from this moment on, whatever they did they would do together.

 ***boop***

 **And there we go, hope you sinners are happy XD**

 **I will say for future reference, that's about as far as I will go in that area in any and all my stories. So, don't expect any *le sexy time* from me... ever...**

 **I'll save all the final things for the last chapter, author notes may be just a little longer as a warning.**

 **On a happier note, we should be getting Season 2 on Netflix in the US very soon. Though I wish they'd just give us an actual date already.**

 **Well readers, until next week!**

 **Lots of Love to you all!**

 **~Imperial**


	40. Chapter 40

**(A/N) Well lovely readers, here we are… the final chapter of Cats and Curses. I'll save all the thank yous for the end but there are some things I want to say before we get into it.**

 **This story started on April 3rd of this year, it started as an idea that has now grown into a 40-chapter story that has received more love than I could have ever dreamed. It's gonna feel weird next week when I won't have to write a chapter for this… then again it is finals week next week, so I guess it sort of is good I won't have one next week.**

 **Kinda wish I offered to do a Q &A with this chapter, don't know if you guys would have had any questions but it might've been fun.**

 **In other news… I feel like I jinxed everything when I mentioned Season 2 last week, for those who don't know what I'm talking about there is a twitter page for Miraculous that has that news…**

 **Well, let's dive right in with the Epilogue.**

 ***boop***

Many things can happen in a short amount of time, that is something that Adrien had learned not too long ago. It had been two years since the incident, and he would never trade what he had been given due to those events.

He truly was grateful for all that had transpired in that initial month. Because of it, his life had gotten increasingly better due to new friends, new experiences, and even a new love.

Marinette had quickly become his whole world. Even now as he would wake up next to her every morning, he couldn't believe how lucky he was to have her every time he saw the ring on her finger.

They had waited almost a year of course before Adrien had gotten down on one knee. Paris had been abuzz for quite a while with the news of their engagement, only to go crazy again on the day of the actual wedding. Adrien could easily look back fondly at that day, everything had been absolutely perfect.

Over a year after that amazing day, he now watched his wife as she made her way around the kitchen, unaware of his presence just yet. She seemed a little more excited today, she usually became like this when a fun project for work came around. So, Adrien just assumed that was the case.

He stealthily made his way over and wrapped his arms around her waist, only slightly startling her in the process. She paused briefly to enjoy the comfort of their position before continuing to make their breakfast, only this time with Adrien's help.

They fell into a comfortable silence until they were seated. They tried to avoid talking about work over meals since they did usually work together. During this time they would talk about their friends or family, really just anything not involving fashion or business.

As they talked this morning, Adrien couldn't help but notice Marinette seemed not fully in the conversation, and also somewhat nervous. He knew it was better to not ask and let her tell him whatever was on her mind when she was ready.

And within a matter of minutes, she did just that in a surge of confidence.

"Adrien I, I have something to give you." She didn't say another word as she stood up and walked out of the room. She returned moments later with an unmarked box in hand, soon giving it to the confused Adrien. He looked up at Marinette to see a mixture of excitement and worry on her face. He looked back down to the box in his hands before he opened it up and took out its contents.

He could tell that it was one of Marinette's works instantly. Though this piece seemed somewhat small, causing him to wonder what it could be. The soft, light green fabric was carefully folded, giving him full view of what was written on the front in black letters.

 _Daddys Little Purrincess_

It took him a few seconds to register the words. All at once freezing as it all clicked into place. His head snapped up to look at Marinette, eyes widening as he saw the confirming smile on her face. He turned back to the object he was holding, hands shaking slightly as he unfolded and took in the ever so tiny onesie.

In a flash he was out of his chair, enveloping Marinette in an excited hug.

This reaction seemed to give Marinette relief as she melted into the hug. Both beginning to laugh as tears of joy threatened to fall from their eyes.

With that revelation, Adrien couldn't help but look to the future with more excitement than he had just minutes before.

Because with this, his loving family would only grow from here...

 ***boop***

 **And with that, we have come to the end. And now for some final things.**

 **First off, an enormous thank you to those of you that have contributed to this story in some way. Whether is was a review, a follow, or a favorite, I thank you from the bottom of my heart. I've said this a lot, but it's due to all the love and support that this story turned out as long as it did.**

 **Probably the biggest thank you is to my most loyal reviewers. I went back through every review and I would like to shout out the three who were such amazing reviewers with one who did so from almost the very beginning.**

 **So, a massive thank you to Daisy Rhine, Dragon Lord Draco, and Tiger Priestess for their amazing devotion and support to this series.**

 **Now that doesn't mean a lot more of you were also extremely supportive, I would shout out each and every single one of you if I could, problem is that would take forever, and this note would be** _ **extremely**_ **long. Just know that you are all awesome individuals and I am grateful for you all.**

 **In other announcements, I'm going to take a 1-2-week break from posting, not that it exactly matters too much, but yeah. Like I mentioned before this chapter, finals are next week so I definitely need to focus on studying, well that and Star Wars ; )**

 **When I come back, I've got a few ideas for short stories I'll get out before the beginning of the next semester, when it might get a little harder to post due to some classes. Nevertheless, if I can't get anything new out I'll be doing a deep cleaning on this story as well as my others.**

 **Once again, thank you all for coming with me on this journey. I hope you guys had as much fun reading as I did writing it. Keep staying Miraculous you guys…**

 **Lots of Love to you all!**

 **~Imperial**


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